Category: Theocratic

Categories
Current Events Science Theocratic

jíduān tiānqì

jíduān (jí·duān extreme · extremity → [extreme] 极端 極端)
tiānqì (tiān·qì {sky → [weather]} · {air → [weather]} → [weather] 天气 天氣) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[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 None 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 “Extreme Weather—Can the Bible Help You to Cope?”. To correspond with the English expression “extreme weather”, the Mandarin version uses this week’s MEotW, “jíduān (jí·duān extreme · extremity → [extreme] 极端 極端) tiānqì (tiān·qì {sky → [weather]} · {air → [weather]} → [weather] 天气 天氣)”.

Interesingly, the “jí (extremity | extreme (adj) | extremely; {to the extreme} 极 極)” in “jíduān (jí·duān {[is] extreme} · end; extremity → [[is] extreme; exceedingly; absolute | extreme; extremity | exceedingly; extremely] 极端 極端)” is also used in “Běijí (Běi·jí North · {Extremity → [Pole]} 北极 北極)” (“North Pole”) and in “Nánjí (Nán·jí South · {Extremity → [Pole]} 南极 南極)” (“South Pole”).

Extreme Weather Expressions in Context

Here are the English and Mandarin versions of the above-mentioned article’s first paragraph, which contains many expressions related to the topic of extreme weather:

English:

Are you one of the millions who have been affected by extreme weather? Dangerous weather and its damaging effects come in many forms. Hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, and tornadoes often cause storm surges, flooding, or wind damage. Heavy rain may trigger landslides, and storms can bring lightning strikes that start destructive wildfires. Droughts, heat waves, and winter storms can be equally devastating.

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Quánqiú (Quán·qiú (across) entire · globe → [worldwide] 全球) chéngqiān (chéng·qiān {coming to be} · {thousands} 成千)‐shàngwàn (shàng·wàn {up to} · {tens of thousands} 上万 上萬) de (’ 的) rén (people 人) shòudào (shòu·dào {have been subjected to} · {arriving at} 受到) jíduān (jí·duān extreme · extremity → [extreme] 极端 極端) tiānqì (tiān·qì {sky → [weather]} · {air → [weather]} → [weather] 天气 天氣) yǐngxiǎng (yǐng·xiǎng relfections · sounds → [affecting] 影响 影響), nǐ (you 你) yě (also 也) shì (are 是) qízhōng (qí·zhōng them · among 其中) zhī (’s 之) yī (one 一) ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)? Jíduān (Jí·duān extreme · extremity → [extreme] 极端 極端) tiānqì (tiān·qì {sky → [weather]} · {air → [weather]} → [weather] 天气 天氣) kěyǐ (kě·yǐ can · [suf] 可以) dàilái (dài·lái bring · {to come} 带来 帶來) gèzhǒng (gè·zhǒng various · {kinds of} 各种 各種) zāihài (zāi·hài calamities · harm 灾害 災害), zàochéng (zào·chéng make · {to come to be} 造成) yánzhòng (yán·zhòng {tight → [severe]} · {weighty → [serious]} → [severe] 严重 嚴重) de (’s 的) pòhuài (pò·huài damaging · {to be ruined} 破坏 破壞). Lìrú (Lì·rú examples · like → [for example] 例如), jùfēng (jù·fēng hurricane · winds → [hurricanes] 飓风 颶風), táifēng (tái·fēng typhoon · winds → [typhoons] 台风 颱風), qìxuán (qì·xuán air · circlings → [cyclones] 气旋 氣旋), hé ({(together) with} → [and] 和 和/龢) lóngjuǎn‐fēng ((lóng·juǎn dragon · spool → [tornado] 龙卷 龍捲)‐(fēng winds 风 風) → [tornadoes]) jīngcháng (jīng·cháng regularly · often 经常 經常) huì (will 会 會) zàochéng (zào·chéng make · {to come to be} 造成) fēngbào‐cháo ((fēng·bào wind · {being violent} → [storm] 风暴 風暴)‐(cháo tides 潮) → [storm surges]), hóngshuǐ (hóng·shuǐ flood · waters → [floods] 洪水), hé ({(together) with} → [and] 和 和/龢) fēngzāi (fēng·zāi wind · disasters → [wind damage] 风灾 風災); dàyǔ (dà·yǔ {big → [heavy]} · rain 大雨) kěnéng (kě·néng maybe · {being able} → [possibly] 可能) yǐnfā (yǐn·fā {will draw (out)} · {to send out} → [will trigger] 引发 引發) ní‐shí‐liú ((ní mud 泥)‐(shí rock 石)‐(liú flows 流) → [landslides]) (tǔ‐shí‐liú ((tǔ soil 土)‐(shí rock 石)‐(liú flows 流) → [debris flows (Tw)])); léidiàn (léi·diàn thunder · {electricity → [lightning]} 雷电 雷電) kěnéng (kě·néng maybe · {being able} → [possibly] 可能) yǐnfā (yǐn·fā {will draw (out)} · {to send out} → [will spark] 引发 引發) yánzhòng (yán·zhòng {tight → [severe]} · {weighty → [serious]} → [severe] 严重 嚴重) de (’s 的) huǒzāi (huǒ·zāi fire · disasters → [wildfires] 火灾 火災); hànzāi (hàn·zāi drought · disasters → [droughts] 旱灾 旱災), rèlàng (rè·làng heat · waves 热浪 熱浪), yǐjí ({as well as} 以及) bàofēng‐xuě ((bào·fēng violent · wind → [storm] 暴风 暴風)‐(xuě snows 雪) → [snowstorms]) yě (also 也) kěyǐ (kě·yǐ can · [suf] 可以) dàilái (dài·lái bring · {to come} 带来 帶來) yánzhòng (yán·zhòng {tight → [severe]} · {heavy → [serious]} → [serious] 严重 嚴重) de (’ 的) pòhuài (pò·huài damaging · {to be ruined} 破坏 破壞).

Individual Extreme Weather Expressions

While the above paragraphs show several English and Mandarin expressions related to extreme weather used in context, below is a table of several of the individual English expressions used above, along with their corresponding Mandarin expressions:

English Mandarin
extreme weather jíduān (jí·duān extreme · extremity → [extreme] 极端 極端) tiānqì (tiān·qì {sky → [weather]} · {air → [weather]} → [weather] 天气 天氣)
hurricanes jùfēng (jù·fēng cyclone; hurricane; typhoon · winds → [hurricanes; typhoons] 飓风 颶風)
typhoons táifēng (tái·fēng typhoon · winds → [typhoons] 台风 颱風)
cyclones qìxuán (qì·xuán air · circlings → [cyclones] 气旋 氣旋)
tornadoes lóngjuǎn‐fēng ((lóng·juǎn dragon · spool → [tornado; waterspout] 龙卷 龍捲)‐(fēng winds 风 風) → [tornadoes; twisters | cyclones; hurricanes])
storm surges fēngbào‐cháo ((fēng·bào wind · {being violent} → [storm] 风暴 風暴)‐(cháo tides 潮) → [storm surges])
flooding hóngshuǐ (hóng·shuǐ flood · waters [→ [floods]] 洪水)
wind damage fēngzāi (fēng·zāi wind · disaster; calamity [→ [wind damage]] 风灾 風災)
heavy rain dàyǔ (dà·yǔ {big → [heavy]} · rain 大雨)
landslides ní‐shí‐liú ((ní mud 泥)‐(shí rock 石)‐(liú flows 流) → [mud-rock flows; rockslides; mudslides; landslides]) (tǔ‐shí‐liú ((tǔ soil [→ [land]] 土)‐(shí rock 石)‐(liú flows 流) → [debris flows (Tw); mud-rock flows; rockslides; mudslides; landslides]))
lightning léidiàn (léi·diàn thunder · {electricity → [lightning]} 雷电 雷電)
wildfires huǒzāi (huǒ·zāi fire · calamities; disasters [→ [wildfires]] 火灾 火災)
droughts hànzāi (hàn·zāi drought · disasters; calamities → [droughts] 旱灾 旱災)
heat waves rèlàng (rè·làng heat · waves 热浪 熱浪)
winter storms bàofēng‐xuě ((bào·fēng violent · wind → [storm] 暴风 暴風)‐(xuě snows 雪) → [snowstorms; blizzards])

Hopefully, the information in this post will help you to be better equipped to speak with Mandarin-speaking people who are concerned about climate change (qìhòu (qì·hòu {air → [weather]} · conditions → [climate] 气候 氣候) biànhuà (biàn·huà changing · transforming 变化 變化)) and about the increasingly frequent and extreme extreme weather we are seeing in these last days.

Categories
Culture Current Events Science Technology Theocratic

ǒurán

ǒurán (ǒu·rán {[is] by chance/accident [→ [occasionally]]} · {so | -ly} [(thing/event/occurrence/etc.) → [accident]] 偶然) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[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 None re all the “flashcards” in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]

One of the publications that is now recommended to be used on Bible studies is the Yǒngyuǎn Xiǎngshòu Měihǎo de Shēngmìng—Hùdòng Shì Shèngjīng Kèchéng ((Yǒng·yuǎn Eternally · {Far (in Time)} 永远 永遠) (Xiǎng·shòu Enjoy · Receive 享受) (Měi·hǎo Beautiful · Good 美好) (de ’s 的) (Shēngmìng Life 生命)—(Hù·dòng {Each Other} · Moving → [Interactive] 互动 互動) (Shì (Type 式) (Shèng·jīng Holy · Scriptures → [Bible] 圣经 聖經) (Kè·chéng Lessons · Procedure → [Course] 课程 課程) → [Enjoy Life Forever!—An Interactive Bible Course (lff)]) (Enjoy Life Forever! (lff)) book. This week’s MEotW, “ǒurán (ǒu·rán {[is] by chance/accident [→ [occasionally]]} · {so | -ly} [(thing/event/occurrence/etc.) → [accident]] 偶然)”, appears in the first paragraph of lesson 6 of this book:

English:

Some people think that life came from random, undirected events. If that is true, then we exist only because of an accident.

Mandarin (WOL, Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus):

📖 📄 📘 Yǒuxiē (Yǒu·xiē {(there) are having → [(there) are]} · some 有些) rén (people 人) rènwéi (rèn·wéi identifying · {(it) to be} 认为 認為), shēngmìng (life 生命) shì (was 是) pèngqiǎo (pèng·qiǎo {having bumped into} · {being coincidental} → [by chance/coincidence] 碰巧) chǎnshēng (chǎn·shēng {given birth to → [produced]} · {given birth to → [caused to exist]} → [brought into being] 产生 產生) de ({’s (thing)} 的). Rúguǒ (Rú·guǒ if · {fruit → [if indeed]} 如果) zhè (this 这 這) shì (is 是) zhēn (true 真) de ({’s (thing)} 的), wǒmen de ((wǒ·men us · [pl] 我们 我們) (de ’s 的) → [our]) cúnzài (cún·zài existing · {being present} 存在) jiùshì (jiù·shì exactly · is 就是) ge ([mw] 个 個/个) ǒurán (ǒu·rán {by accident} · so (thing) → [accident] 偶然).

Idols, Accidents, and Implications

Interestingly, the first morpheme in “ǒurán (ǒu·rán {[is] by chance/accident [→ [occasionally]]} · {so | -ly} [(thing/event/occurrence/etc.) → [accident]] 偶然)” is also the first morpheme in “ǒuxiàng (ǒu·xiàng idol · {(instance of) being like → [image]} 偶像)”, where it means “idol”. However, in “ǒurán (ǒu·rán {[is] by chance/accident [→ [occasionally]]} · {so | -ly} [(thing/event/occurrence/etc.) → [accident]] 偶然)”, it has an apparently unrelated meaning of “by chance” or “by accident”. (I guess one perhaps accidental connection between “idol” and “by accident” is that “by accident” is about the only way that an idol can actually do anything, unless one allows belief in an idol to influence one’s own thoughts and actions.—Psalm 115:4–8.)

The second morpheme in “ǒurán (ǒu·rán {[is] by chance/accident [→ [occasionally]]} · {so | -ly} [(thing/event/occurrence/etc.) → [accident]] 偶然)” means “so” or “like that”, and it can act like “-ly” in English, marking adverbs. Usually, then, “ǒurán (ǒu·rán {[is] by chance/accident [→ [occasionally]]} · {so | -ly} [(thing/event/occurrence/etc.) → [accident]] 偶然)” means “by chance”, “accidental”, or “accidentally”. Occasionally, it can also mean “occasionally” or “incidentally”. Thus, according to dictionaries, this expression is a stative verb, an adjective, or an adverb.

In the example from the Enjoy Life Forever! book shown above, though, “ǒurán (ǒu·rán {[is] by chance/accident [→ [occasionally]]} · {so | -ly} [(thing/event/occurrence/etc.) → [accident]] 偶然)” is used as a noun. In such cases, there’s an implied “thing/event/occurrence/etc.” after this expression’s morphemes’ literal meanings of “by accident so”. This works out to “by accident so (thing/event/occurrence/etc.)”, or “accident”. In cases like this, Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus material puts the implied word or words in parentheses.

A Meaningless Accident?

Was it just an accident that life came to exist? That would be the case if the claims of evolutionists are correct. Yes, spiritually, that emptiness and meaninglessness are all that evolution has to offer. In stark contrast, the Bible’s creation account speaks of an origin springing from loving intention. As the Enjoy Life Forever! book goes on to say after the passage quoted above:

If Jehovah God created life, it would have a purpose, would it not?

While many people in this world are desperately looking around for meaning from outside themselves from things like artificial general intelligence and artificial superintelligence, aliens, etc., we Mandarin field language learners have the privilege of sharing a positive, heartening, evidence-based message with the Mandarin-speaking people we meet: Jehovah God is the Divine Superintelligence who created the universe, including us, and he loves us and has a wonderful future in store for us!—Jeremiah 29:11.

For convenience:

The direct link for the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resource for the Enjoy Life Forever! book is:

The short link for Chinese field language-learning links for the Enjoy Life Forever! book is:

More Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) and Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus web material based on the Mandarin Enjoy Life Forever! book will be made available in the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus web resource as time allows.

Categories
Culture Science Technology Theocratic

yījù

yījù (yī·jù {being depended/relied on} · evidence → [basis; foundation] 依据 依據) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[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 None re all the “flashcards” in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]

The Shēngmìng Láizì Chuàngzào Ma? ((Shēngmìng Life 生命) (Lái·zì Came · From 来自 來自) (Chuàng·zào Initiating · {Making, Creating} → [Creating] 创造 創造) (Ma [? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)? → [Was Life Created? (lc)]) (Was Life Created? (lc)) brochure and the Shēngmìng de Qǐyuán—Zhíde Sīkǎo de Wǔ Ge Wèntí ((Shēngmìng Life 生命) (de ’s 的) (Qǐ·yuán {Rising → [Starting]} · Source → [Origin] 起源/原)—(Zhí·de Worth · Getting → [Worth] 值得) (Sī·kǎo {Thinking About} · Examining 思考) (de ’s 的) (Wǔ Five 五) (Ge [mw] 个 個/个) (Wèn·tí Asking · Subjects → [Questions] 问题 問題) → [The Origin of Life—Five Questions Worth Asking (lf)]) (The Origin of Life—Five Questions Worth Asking (lf)) brochure were originally published back in 2010, but relatively recently, the English version of the Was Life Created? brochure was updated to the December 2022 Printing, and the Mandarin version of it was updated to the February 2023 Printing. Also, the Was Life Created? brochure and the Origin of Life brochure are now in the Teaching Toolbox section in the JW Library app. So, it would be good to consider some of the expressions used in the Mandarin versions of these publications that can be so helpful when discussing whether life was created.

Basis

This week’s MEotW, which appears in the section of the Mandarin Was Life Created? brochure entitled “Nǐ (You 你) Xiāngxìn (Xiāng·xìn It · {Do Believe} → [Do Believe] 相信) Shénme (Shén·me What · [suf] 什么 什/甚麼) Ne ([? ptcl] 呢)?” (“What Do You Believe?”), is “yījù (yī·jù {being depended/relied on} · evidence → [basis; foundation] 依据 依據)”:

English:

It is our hope that this brochure will prompt you to examine again the basis for some of your beliefs.

Mandarin (WOL; Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus)

📖 📄 📘 Wǒmen (Wǒ·men we · [pl] 我们 我們) xīwàng (xī·wàng hope · {gaze (into the distance) at (that) → [hope]} → [hope] 希望) běn ({root or stem of a} → [this] 本) cèzi (cè·zi brochure · [suf for nouns] 册子 冊子) néng ({will be able} 能) qūshǐ (qū·shǐ {to spur on (a horse) → [to urge on]} · {to cause} → [to prompt] 驱使 驅使) nǐ (you 你) chóngxīn (chóng·xīn again · newly 重新) xiǎngxiang (xiǎng·xiang {to think about} · {to think about} 想想) zìjǐ (self 自己) de (’s 的) kànfǎ (kàn·fǎ {looking at (some things)} · way 看法) yǒu ({does have} 有) shénme (shén·me what · [suf] 什么 什/甚麼) yījù (yī·jù {being relied on} · evidence → [basis] 依据 依據).

The first morpheme in “yījù (yī·jù {being depended/relied on} · evidence → [basis; foundation] 依据 依據)” is also the first morpheme in “yīkào (yī·kào {depend/rely on} · {lean against/on → [depend/rely on]} 依靠)”. As for the second morpheme in “yījù (yī·jù {being depended/relied on} · evidence → [basis; foundation] 依据 依據)”, it’s also the second morpheme in “zhèngjù (zhèng·jù evidence; proof; testimony · evidence; certificate; proof 证据 證/証據)”. When put together in “yījù (yī·jù {being depended/relied on} · evidence → [basis; foundation] 依据 依據)”, these two morphemes literally mean “being depended/relied on evidence”, and effectively mean “basis; foundation”.

What’s Actually Evidence-Based

Those who believe in the supposedly scientific theory of evolution may suppose that much scientific evidence supports it, and some of them refer to the Bible’s creation account as a “creation myth”, or as a “fairy tale”. However, ironically, multiple lines of evidence actually show that the claims of evolution are fairy tales and fantasies, and that creation is more truly evidence-based. In fact, the Was Life Created? brochure has an entire section entitled “Evolution—Myths and Facts” in English, and “Jìnhuà‐Lùn ((Jìn·huà {to Advance} · Transforming → [Evolution] 进化 進化)‐(Lùn Discussing → [Theory] 论 論) → [Evolution])—Jiǎshè (Jiǎ·shè Artificial · {Settings Up} → [Hypotheses] 假设 假設) yǔ (and 与 與/与) Shìshí (Shì·shí Matters · {Being Solid} → [Facts] 事实 事實)” in Mandarin. (WOL, Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus). The evolution myths discussed in this section of the Was Life Created? brochure are:

Myth 1. Mutations provide the raw materials needed to create new species.

The facts. …Research shows that mutations cannot transform an original species into an entirely new one.

Myth 2. Natural selection led to the creation of new species.

The facts. …Natural selection may be helping species adapt to the changing demands of existence, but it is not creating anything new.

Myth 3. The fossil record documents macroevolutionary changes.

The facts. …According to the fossil record, all the major groups of animals appeared suddenly and remained virtually unchanged.

Yes, the fossil record and other scientific evidence actually support what the Bible’s creation account says, that God created living things in their full form—they simply didn’t “evolve” gradually through intermediate forms, either on their own or under God’s direction.

As the MEotW post on “chuàngzào (chuàng·zào initiating · {making, creating} → [creating | creation; innovation] 创造 創造)” says:

So, “chuàngzào (chuàng·zào initiating · {making, creating} → [creating | creation; innovation] 创造 創造)”, being made up of “chuàng (initiate; create; start; originate; {achieve (sth. for the first time)} 创 創/刱/剏/剙)” and “zào (make; build; create 造)”, covers the entire process of coming up with the idea for something, and then actually making or building it. This is in contrast with the idea of theistic evolution, that God somehow got the ball rolling and then sat back and let the process of evolution develop all the wonderful living things in the natural world.

Bear Witness to the Creator in Mandarin!

Indeed, it is creation, not evolution, that has a good yījù (yī·jù {being relied on} · evidence → [basis] 依据 依據), or basis in evidence. Let us not be intimidated, then, by the confident but groundless claims of evolutionists. Rather, let us courageously bear witness to the truth that the evidence points to, that Jehovah God deserves to be recognized and honoured as our Creator.—Revelation 4:11 (English WOL, Mandarin WOL, Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus).

And, since their cultural background predisposes many Mandarin-speaking people to not believe in God, let us Mandarin field language learners especially not hesitate to learn and use the Mandarin expressions required to share the potentially life-altering truth about our Creator with Mandarin-speaking people. The need is great, more tools and resources are available to help us than ever, and Jehovah is sure to appreciate and bless our efforts!

For convenience:

The direct link for the current-generation Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resource for the Was Life Created? brochure is:

The short link for Chinese field language-learning links for the Was Life Created? brochure is:

More Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) and Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus web material based on the Mandarin Was Life Created? brochure will be made available in the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus web resource as time allows.