福利
fúlì · HSK 5
well-being
🎁 福 = good fortune + 利 = profit/benefit → perks and welfare
福 (fú) means blessing or good fortune; 利 (lì) means profit or benefit. Together they name the perks side of life: bonuses, fringe benefits, social welfare — the good stuff that flows your way.
福 — 示 (altar/spirit) + 畐 (full vessel)
福 originally depicted hands offering a full wine jar (畐) at an altar (示) to the spirits, asking for blessings. The 示 radical signals religious or ritual meaning, while 畐 suggests both the sound and the idea of fullness or abundance. Over time it came to mean 'good fortune' or 'blessing.'
利 — grain 禾 + knife 刂
Originally a pictograph showing a knife (刂) cutting grain (禾), depicting harvest. From the idea of a sharp blade reaping crops, it extended to mean 'sharp,' then 'benefit,' 'profit,' or 'advantage' — the gain that comes from a successful harvest.