xīwàng (xī·wàng hoping · {gazing (into the distance [at]) → [hoping; expecting]} [→ [hope; wishing]] 希望) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”
On February 24, 2022, Russia sent significant military forces into Ukraine, resulting in the largest scale open warfare in Europe since World War II. Knowing certain Mandarin expressions will help us in the Mandarin field as we hear about and talk about Ukraine in the time ahead.
Two articles about this situation that have been featured on jw.org are “Russia Invades Ukraine” and “Refugee Crisis—Millions Flee Ukraine”. In the Mandarin versions of those articles, “xīwàng (xī·wàng hoping · {gazing (into the distance [at]) → [hoping; expecting]} [→ [hope; wishing]] 希望)”, this week’s MEotW, is used to correspond with the English word “hope”.
Hopeful Examples
Here are some examples of how “xīwàng (xī·wàng hoping · {gazing (into the distance [at]) → [hoping; expecting]} [→ [hope; wishing]] 希望)” is used in the above-mentioned articles:
English:
Why can you be hopeful about the future?
Mandarin:
📖 📄 📘 Wèishénme (Wèi·shén·me for · what · [suf] → [why] 为什么 為什/甚麼) nǐ (you 你) kěyǐ (kě·yǐ can · [suf] 可以) duì (towards 对 對) wèilái (wèi·lái {(what) is not yet} · come → [the future] 未来 未來) chōngmǎn (chōng·mǎn {be filled} · {full with} 充满 充滿) xīwàng (xī·wàng hoping · {gazing (into the distance) → [hoping]} → [hope] 希望)?
English:
Where can refugees turn for hope?
Mandarin:
📖 📄 📘 Nànmín (Nàn·mín calamity · {persons of a certain occupation} → [refugees] 难民 難民) de (’ 的) zhēnzhèng (zhēn·zhèng true · proper 真正) xīwàng (xī·wàng hoping · {gazing (into the distance) → [hoping]} → [hope] 希望)
English:
Besides giving refugees a sure hope for the future, the Bible can help with the challenges that they face now.
Mandarin:
📖 📄 📘 Shèngjīng (Shèng·jīng (the) Holy · Scriptures → [the Bible] 圣经 聖經) búdàn (bú·dàn not · only 不但) gěi (gives 给 給) tāmen (tā·men him/her · [pl] → [them] 他们 他們) yí (one 一) ge ([mw] 个 個/个) wěnquè (wěn·què {firm → [sure]} · {real → [sure]} 稳确 穩確) de (’s 的) xīwàng (xī·wàng hoping · {gazing (into the distance) → [hoping]} → [hope] 希望), hái (also 还 還) bāngzhù (helps 帮助 幫助) tāmen (tā·men him/her · [pl] → [them] 他们 他們) miànduì (miàn·duì faces · {to be directed at} → [to face] 面对 面對) yǎnqián (yǎn·qián eyes · before → [now] 眼前) de (’s 的) nántí (nán·tí difficult · topics → [problems] 难题 難題).
Hoping and Wishing
Besides being used to correspond with “hope”, “xīwàng (xī·wàng hoping · {gazing (into the distance [at]) → [hoping; expecting]} [→ [hope; wishing]] 希望)” is also used in recent official material to correspond to “want” or “wish”. For instance, lesson 04 point 1 of the Enjoy Life Forever! book contains this example:
English:
Jehovah wants us to know his name.
Mandarin:
📖 📄 📘 Yēhéhuá (Jehovah 耶和华 耶和華) xīwàng (xī·wàng {hopes for} · {gazes (into the distance) for → [hopes for]} → [wishes for] 希望) wǒmen (wǒ·men us · [pl] 我们 我們) zhīdào (zhī·dào {to know} · {(the) way (of)} → [to know] 知道) tā de ((tā him 他) (de ’s 的) → [his]) míngzi (míng·zi name · word → [name] 名字).
Gazing into the Distance
One may note from the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus information for “xīwàng (xī·wàng hoping · {gazing (into the distance [at]) → [hoping; expecting]} [→ [hope; wishing]] 希望)” that the morpheme “wàng ({gaze into the distance [→ [hope; expect; look forward]]}; {look over}; observe 望 望/朢)” that’s used in it literally means “gaze into the distance”. Thus, it should come as no surprise that it’s also the “wàng ({gaze into the distance [→ [hope; expect; look forward]]}; {look over}; observe 望 望/朢)” used in “Shǒuwàngtái (Shǒu·wàng·tái {Guarding → [Keeping Watch]} · {Gazing into the Distance} · Platform → [The Watchtower] 守望台 守望臺/台)”.