Category: Current Events

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bàolì

bàolì+ (bào·lì [(is employing)] violent · force → [violence | [is] violent] 暴力) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[Notes: This blog uses “Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus” technology. Tap/click on a Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to reveal its “flashcard”, tap/click on a “flashcard” or its Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to hide the “flashcard”. 📖 📄 ➕ icons mean 📖 Reveal All, 📄 Reveal Advanced, and ➕ Reveal + Symbols re all the “flashcards” in the paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.

This post was adapted from a past MEotW post that was originally posted on July 18, 2022.]

Unfortunately, wars and gun violence have been in the news a lot lately. As of this writing, jw.org is featuring the article “Violence Is Not the Answer”. Also, the articles “Shocking Gun Violence Worldwide—What Does the Bible Say?” and “School Shootings—What Does the Bible Say?” have been featured on jw.org in the past. The Mandarin versions of these articles use the expression “bàolì (bào·lì [(is employing)] violent · force → [violence | [is] violent] 暴力)”, which means “violence” or “violent”.

Usage Examples

Here are some examples of how “bàolì (bào·lì [(is employing)] violent · force → [violence | [is] violent] 暴力)” is used in the above-mentioned articles:

English:

Why is the world becoming more violent?

Mandarin:

📖 📄 ➕ Wèi‐shénme ((Wèi for 为 為)‐(shén·me what · [suf] 什么 什/甚麼) → [why]) rén (people 人) yuè‐lái‐yuè+ ((yuè {jumping over} 越) (lái coming 来 來) (yuè {jumping over} 越)) → [more and more]) bàolì (bào·lì violent · force → [are violent] 暴力)?

English:

Is there any hope that the violence will end?

Mandarin:

📖 📄 ➕ Zhèyàng (Zhè·yàng this · kind 这样 這樣) de (’s 的) bàolì (bào·lì violent · force → [violent] 暴力) shìjiàn+ (shì·jiàn incidents · [mw] 事件) huì (will 会 會) yǒu (have 有) zhōngzhǐ (zhōng·zhǐ ending · stopping 终止 終止) de (’s 的) yì (one 一) tiān (sky → [day] 天) ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)?

English:

The Bible promises a time when violence will end.

Mandarin:

📖 📄 ➕ Shèngjīng (Shèng·jīng (the) Holy · Scriptures → [the Bible] 圣经 聖經)…shuō (says 说 說/説), bàolì (bào·lì violent · force → [violence] 暴力) huì (will 会 會) yǒu (have 有) zhōngzhǐ+ (zhōng·zhǐ ending · stopping 终止 終止) de (’s 的) yì (one 一) tiān (sky → [day] 天).

English:

God will eliminate the root causes of violent acts by teaching people to live in peace.

Mandarin:

📖 📄 ➕ Shàngdì (Shàng·dì Above’s · {Emperor → [God]} → [God] 上帝) huì (will 会 會) jiàodǎo (jiào·dǎo teach · instruct 教导 教導) rén (people 人) zěnyàng (zěn·yàng (in) what · {form → [way]} → [how] 怎样 怎樣) hémù+ ({to be harmonious} 和睦)‐xiāngchǔ (xiāng·chǔ {with each other} · {to get along} 相处 相處), cóng (from 从 從) gēnběn+ (gēn·běn {root (of a plant)} · {root or stem of a plant} → [root] 根本) shang (upon 上) xiāochú (xiāo·chú eliminate · {get rid of} 消除) dǎozhì (dǎo·zhì lead · {to extend to} 导致 導致) bàolì (bào·lì violent · force → [violence] 暴力) de (’s 的) yuányīn (yuán·yīn origins · causes 原因).

English:

The Bible promises that Jesus—as the Prince of Peace—will soon bring an end to all violence. (Isaiah 9:6, 7)

Mandarin:

📖 📄 ➕ Shèngjīng (Shèng·jīng (the) Holy · Scriptures → [the Bible] 圣经 聖經) bǎozhèng (bǎo·zhèng guarantees · testifies 保证 保證), Hépíng (Hé·píng {Being (Together) with (One Another)} · {Being Flat, Level, Even} → [Peace (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict)] 和平) de (’s 的) Lǐngxiù+ (Lǐng·xiù {Neck → [Collar]} · Sleeves → [Leader] 领袖 領袖) Yēsū (Jesus 耶稣 耶穌) huì (will 会 會) hěn (very 很) kuài (quickly → [soon] 快) zhōngzhǐ+ (zhōng·zhǐ end · stop 终止 終止) yíqiè (yí·qiè {one (whole)} · {corresponding (set of)} → [all] 一切) bàolì (bào·lì violent · force → [violence] 暴力). (Yǐsàiyà‐Shū ((Yǐsàiyà Isaiah 以赛亚 以賽亞)‐(Shū Writing → [Book] 书 書) → [The Book of Isaiah]) 9:6, 7)

Some Related Mandarin Expressions

Here are some other Mandarin expressions that also include the morpheme “bào ({[sudden] [and] [violent]} [→ [cruel; savage; fierce]] | {stick/stand out}; bulge 暴)”:

  • bàofā+ (bào·fā exploding; bursting · {sending out}; issuing → [erupting; bursting/breaking out | explosion; eruption] 爆发 爆發) (a past MEotW)
  • bàofā‐hù+ ((bào·fā exploded; burst · {sent out}; issued 爆发 爆發)‐(hù door → [household; family | person of a certain status] 户 戶) → [upstart | nouveau riche; newly rich])
  • bàofēng+ (bào·fēng violent · wind → [storm wind; gale; windstorm; storm] 暴风 暴風)
  • bàoliè+ (bào·liè violent · intense; fierce 暴烈)
  • bàolóng+ (bào·lóng {violent → [savage]} · dragon → [Tyrannosaurus species (esp. Tyrannosaurus rex)] 暴龙 暴龍)
  • bàoxíng+ (bào·xíng {violent [→ [savage]]} · {walking → [doing; deed; act]} → [savage act; outrage; atrocity] 暴行)
  • cánbào+ (cán·bào {injuring; damaging → [cruel; savage; ferocious]} · violent; brutal 残暴 殘暴)
  • fēngbào+ (fēng·bào wind · {being violent} → [windstorm; tempest; storm] 风暴 風暴)
  • wǎngbào+ (wǎng·bào {net → [network] → [Internet]} · {being violent} → [cyberbullying (abbr. for wǎngluò bàolì)] 网暴 網暴)
  • xiōngbào+ (xiōng·bào {[is] fierce}; {[is] ferocious} · {[is] sudden and violent → [[is] cruel; savage; brutal]} 凶暴 凶/兇暴)
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Culture Current Events History Language Learning Technology

Gōngyè‐Dǎng

Gōngyè+ (Gōng·yè {Work → [Industry]} · {Engaged In (Thing) → [Industry]} → [Industrial] 共产 共產)‐Dǎng+ (Party 党 黨/党) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

In contrast to “Gòngchǎn (Gòng·chǎn {Commonly Possessing} · {Produced (Things) → [Property]} → [Communist] 共产 共產)‐Dǎng (Party 党 黨/党)”, which refers to the Chinese Communist Party, the only political organization currently tolerated in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), this week’s MEotW, “Gōngyè (Gōng·yè {Work → [Industry]} · {Engaged In (Thing) → [Industry]} → [Industrial] 共产 共產)‐Dǎng (Party 党 黨/党)”, refers, not to a political organization, but rather, to an intellectual movement. It is introduced this way in the Wikipedia article about it:

In China, Industrial Party (simplified Chinese: 工业党; traditional Chinese: 工業黨; pinyin: gōngyè dǎng, also translated as Industrialist or Technologist[source]) refers to a group of Chinese thinkers and Chinese people who support scientific thinking, advanced technology, techno-nationalism, and economic growth,[source] and reject liberalism, universal values, and free market.[source] In a narrow sense, it could also refer to the fan culture of Illumine Lingao, a Chinese time-travel novel.

Technology, Industry, and China

In recent years, the PRC has indeed placed much emphasis on developing its technology and industry, to much worldly success. However, while the technological pragmatism that Gōngyè (Gōng·yè {Work → [Industry]} · {Engaged In (Thing) → [Industry]} → [Industrial] 共产 共產)‐Dǎng (Party 党 黨/党) thinkers claim to support is evident to a degree in how modern China operates, it is insufficient to enable us to fully understand modern Chinese thinking and culture. For example, if the people of China were purely rational and pragmatic technologists, then Chinese characters would long ago have been replaced by Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音), which is obviously the objectively superior writing technology from a technical standpoint. In reality, as discussed by a past post about the Needham Question, some unfortunate spiritual characteristics have plagued worldly Chinese culture, that have hampered its technological and industrial progress in the past and that perhaps continue to do so to some extent.

Also, there are signs that people in China are getting disillusioned with Gōngyè (Gōng·yè {Work → [Industry]} · {Engaged In (Thing) → [Industry]} → [Industrial] 共产 共產)‐Dǎng (Party 党 黨/党) thinking that prioritizes working hard for industrial and technological progress. For example, as discussed in a previous post on this blog, a significant number of young Chinese people are opting to tǎngpíng+ (tǎng·píng lie · {to be flat} 躺平), or “lie flat”, instead of persisting in the technological and industrial rat race.

Yes, technical capability is necessary, but it is insufficient on its own to bring about a perfect society, a paradise earth. A basic flaw of focusing mainly on technology and industry is that doing so focuses on physical things, and neglects necessary spiritual things. As 1 Corinthians 2:14, 15 says:

But a physical man does not accept the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot get to know them, because they are examined spiritually. However, the spiritual man examines all things, but he himself is not examined by any man.

Technology, Industry, and Jehovah’s People

Even just measuring according to technology and physical infrastructure, Jehovah God has produced the best technology and physical infrastructure in the universe, far surpassing what humans have accomplished, whether in China or in the West. A few examples of this that come to mind are:

  • The molecular machines in our cells
  • Beavers and the ecological infrastructure they produce instinctually
  • The sun, a working, immensely powerful, yet safe and reliable nuclear fusion reactor that has been providing energy for the earth since before humans existed (Matthew 5:45)

How about Jehovah’s people? That technical capability is of some importance even for those who prioritize spiritual things can be seen from how Jehovah arranged for certain ones among the Israelites to be given the knowledge and skills needed to produce things that were necessary for his worship at that time.—Exodus 35:30–36:2.

Looking at the big picture, Jehovah God has trained us to understand that to truly succeed, we must first be motivated by the kind of love spoken of at 1 Corinthians 13, and he has trained us to understand that without such love, we ultimately “do not benefit at all”, regardless of our technical abilities. At the same time, just as “faith without works is dead”, love also must not be just a feeling in our hearts, but rather must be followed through with and expressed by what we do. (James 2:26) May we use well the technology available to us, and thus show our godly love by accomplishing the best we can for Jehovah God and for the people we can help.—Malachi 1:6–14.

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Culture Current Events Names Nations Technology Theocratic

Zhōngdōng

Zhōngdōng+ (Zhōng·dōng Middle · East 中东 中東) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[In view of the renewed fighting in the Middle East, and since the below-mentioned article is again being featured on jw.org, it seems appropriate to revisit this post that was originally posted on July 1, 2025. By the way, the Mandarin expression for “Iran” is “Yīlǎng+ (Iran 伊朗)”.]

[Notes: Tap/click on a Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to reveal its “flashcard”; tap/click on a “flashcard” or its Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to hide the “flashcard”. 📖 📄 ➕ icons mean 📖 Reveal All, 📄 Reveal Advanced, and ➕ Reveal + Symbols re all the “flashcards” in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]

At the time of this writing, jw.org was featuring the article “War in the Middle East—What Does the Bible Say?”. Where the English version of this article uses the expression “Middle East”, the Mandarin version uses this week’s MEotW, “Zhōngdōng (Zhōng·dōng Middle · East 中东 中東)”. For example, here are the English and Mandarin versions of the article’s title:

English:

War in the Middle East—What Does the Bible Say?

Mandarin:

📖 📄 ➕ Guānyú (Guān·yú {Closing → [Relating]} · to 关于 關於) Zhōngdōng (Zhōng·dōng Middle · East’s 中东 中東) Fāshēng (Fā·shēng {Issuing Forth} · {Coming to Life} → [Happening] 发生 發生) de (’s 的) Zhànzhēng (Zhàn·zhēng War · Contending → [War] 战争 戰爭), Shèngjīng (Shèng·jīng (the) Holy · Scriptures → [the Bible] 圣经 聖經) de (’s 的) Guāndiǎn+ (Guān·diǎn {Looking at → [View]} · Point → [Viewpoint] 观点 觀點) Shì (Is 是) Shénme (Shén·me What · [suf] 什么 什/甚麼)?

Related Expressions

The “Zhōng ({within/among/[in] the midst of (it/them…)} | centre; middle | midst | amid | medium; intermediate 中)” in “Zhōngdōng (Zhōng·dōng Middle · East 中东 中東)” corresponds to “Middle”, and it also occurs in expressions such as past MEotW’s “Zhōngguó (Zhōng·guó Central · Nation → [China | Chinese] 中国 中國)” 🔗, “Zhōngwén (Zhōng·wén {Central → [Chinese]} · Writing 中文)” 🔗, and “Zhōngyāng Zhǎnglǎo‐Tuán+ ((Zhōngyāng Central 中央) (Zhǎng·lǎo {Grown → [Elder]} · Old (Men) → [Elders] 长老 長老)‐(Tuán {Rolled into a Ball (Thing)} → [Group] → [Body] 团 團/糰) → [Governing Body])” 🔗. (Note that in these past MEotW’s, “Zhōng ({within/among/[in] the midst of (it/them…)} | centre; middle | midst | amid | medium; intermediate 中)” is really used to mean “Central”, which is a bit different from “Middle”.)

The “dōng (east 东 東)” in “Zhōngdōng (Zhōng·dōng Middle · East 中东 中東)” corresponds to “East”. For reference, here are the Mandarin expressions for the cardinal directions and the ordinal or intercardinal directions:

  • běi+ (north | northern 北)
  • dōngběi+ (dōng·běi {east | eastern} · {north | northern} → [north-east | north-eastern] 东北 東北)
  • dōng+ (east | eastern 东 東)
  • dōngnán+ (dōng·nán {east | eastern} · {south | southern} → [south-east | south-eastern] 东南 東南)
  • nán+ (south | southern 南)
  • xīnán+ (xī·nán {west | western} · {south | southern} → [south-west | south-western] 西南)
  • xī+ (west | western 西)
  • xīběi+ (xī·běi {west | western} · {north | northern} → [north-west | north-western] 西北)

Note how the Mandarin expressions for the ordinal or intercardinal directions use reverse word order compared to their English counterparts. For example, “xīběi (xī·běi {west | western} · {north | northern} → [north-west | north-western] 西北)” literally means “west · north”, in contrast to the English word “north-west”. This may remind one of how the Mandarin word for “compass”, past MEotW “zhǐnán‐zhēn ((zhǐ·nán {(points with) finger → [points]} · south 指南)‐(zhēn needle 针 針) → [compass])”, on a certain level of literalness means “points south needle”, in contrast to the Western view that a compass needle points north. Both are right—when one end of a symmetrical compass needle is pointing south, the other end is simultaneously pointing north—they’re just different ways of thinking about the same thing.

A Longer Usage Example

To provide a longer, more extensive example of how “Zhōngdōng (Zhōng·dōng Middle · East 中东 中東)” and some related expressions can be used in the ministry, here is some Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus material based on the introductory paragraphs of the above-mentioned article:

English:

The world is anxiously watching the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Will the situation escalate into a wider war? Can governments avert disaster and achieve lasting peace?

Those familiar with Bible prophecy may wonder whether this Middle East conflict could be the start of the battle of Armageddon mentioned in the book of Revelation.

What does the Bible say?

Mandarin:

📖 📄 ➕ Měiguó (Měi·guó American · Nation → [USA] 美国 美國), Yǐsèliè (Israel 以色列), hé ({(together) with} → [and] 和 和/龢) Yīlǎng+ (Iran 伊朗) zhījiān (zhī·jiān them · among 之间 之間) de (’s 的) chōngtū+ (chōng·tū {dashing → [clashing]} · {chimney → [dashing forward]} → [conflict] 冲突 衝突), nòngde (nòng·de {has played with → [has made]} · getting 弄得) shìjiè (shì·jiè {generation → [world]} · extent’s → [world’s] 世界) gèdì (gè·dì various · lands 各地) rénxīn (rén·xīn people’s · hearts → [public feeling] 人心)‐huánghuáng (huáng·huáng {to be fearful → [to be anxious]} · {to be fearful → [to be anxious]} 惶惶). Zhèige (Zhèi·ge this · [mw] 这个 這個) chōngtū (chōng·tū {dashing → [clashing]} · {chimney → [dashing forward]} → [conflict] 冲突 衝突) huì (will 会 會) yǎnbiàn (yǎn·biàn perform · changing → [develop] 演变 演變) chéng ({to become} 成) dà (large 大)‐guīmó+ (guī·mó {compasses → [rules]} · model → [scale] 规模 規模) de (’s 的) zhànzhēng (zhàn·zhēng war · contending → [war] 战争 戰爭) ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)? Zhèngfǔ (Zhèng·fǔ political · {seats of government} → [governments] 政府) yǒu ({do have} 有) nénglì (néng·lì ability · power 能力) píngxī+ (píng·xī {to make to be flat, level, even → [to make to be calm]} · {to stop} → [to calm/quiet down] 平息) chōngtū (chōng·tū {dashing → [clashing]} · {chimney → [dashing forward]} → [conflict] 冲突 衝突), dàilái (dài·lái {to bring} · {to come} 带来 帶來) chángjiǔ (cháng·jiǔ long · {for a long time} 长久 長久) de (’s 的) hépíng (hé·píng {being (together) with (one another)} · {being flat, level, even} → [peace (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict)] 和平) ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)?

📖 📄 ➕ Yǒuxiē (Yǒu·xiē {(there) are having → [(there) are]} · some 有些) dúguo (dú·guo reading · {have passed} → [have read] 读过 讀過) Shèngjīng (Shèng·jīng Holy · Scriptures → [Bible] 圣经 聖經) yùyán+ (yù·yán {in advance} · sayings → [prophecy] 预言 預言) de (’s 的) rén (people (who) 人) kěnéng (kě·néng maybe · {being able} → [maybe] 可能) huì (will 会 會) dānxīn (dān·xīn {carry on a shoulder pole → [take on (a heavy)]} · heart → [worry] 担/耽心 擔/耽心), zài (in 在) Zhōngdōng (Zhōng·dōng Middle · East 中东 中東) fāshēng (fā·shēng {issuing forth} · {coming to life} → [happening] 发生 發生) de (’s 的) chōngtū (chōng·tū {dashing → [clashing]} · {chimney → [dashing forward]} → [conflict] 冲突 衝突) huì (will 会 會) yǐnfā (yǐn·fā {draw (out)} · {to send out} → [lead to] 引发 引發) Hāmǐjíduōdùn (Armageddon 哈米吉多顿 哈米吉多頓) dàzhàn (dà·zhàn {big → [great]} · war 大战 大戰), cóng’ér (cóng’·ér {from (that)} · thus 从而 從而) dàilái (dài·lái bring · {to come} 带来 帶來) shìjiè (shì·jiè {generation → [world]} · extent’s → [world’s] 世界) mòrì+ (mò·rì end · {sun → [day]} → [doomsday] 末日).

📖 📄 ➕ Nàme (Nà·me {(in) that (case)} · [suf] 那么/末 那麼/末), Shèngjīng (Shèng·jīng (the) Holy · Scriptures → [the Bible] 圣经 聖經) de (’s 的) guāndiǎn+ (guān·diǎn {looking at → [view]} · point → [viewpoint] 观点 觀點) shì (is 是) shénme (shén·me what · [suf] 什么 什/甚麼) ne ([? ptcl] 呢)?