Mandarin Expression of the Week

xīnlíng (xīn·líng heart · spirit [→ [spiritual]] 心灵 心靈) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

Appendix A2 of the English New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), entitled “Features of This Revision”, discusses vocabulary changes that have been made in the current revision, words that have been translated differently than before. As noted in various entries in the excellent resource Referenced Theo. Expressions (RTE), Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) correspondingly discusses words that have been translated differently in the current revision of the Mandarin NWT Bible, compared to how they had been translated before.

Since we base what we say in Jehovah’s service on his Word the Bible, the vocabulary used in it—and the way those vocabulary words are translated—should be reflected in how we speak in our ministry, at our meetings, etc. So, it is beneficial for us Mandarin field language-learners to be familiar with the latest thinking from the organization on how Bible terms should be translated into Mandarin.

Being Spiritual in Mandarin

For a long time, we in the Mandarin field had been using the Mandarin word “shǔlíng (shǔ·líng {(in the) category (of)} · spirit → [spiritual (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 notes change from “shǔlíng” to “xīnlíng”, etc.)] 属灵 屬靈)” to correspond with the English word “spiritual”. However, Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) points out that many beginning readers of the Mandarin NWT Bible find the word “shǔlíng (shǔ·líng {(in the) category (of)} · spirit → [spiritual (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 notes change from “shǔlíng” to “xīnlíng”, etc.)] 属灵 屬靈)” to be hard to understand. So, the current revision of the Mandarin NWT Bible (nwtsty) instead uses expressions with clearer meanings, with the context determining which expression is used.

One example that the appendix provides is that Matthew 5:3 now uses “xīnlíng (xīn·líng heart · spirit [→ [spiritual]] 心灵 心靈)”, this week’s MEotW, instead of “shǔlíng (shǔ·líng {(in the) category (of)} · spirit → [spiritual (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 notes change from “shǔlíng” to “xīnlíng”, etc.)] 属灵 屬靈)”:

I have heard that “xīnlíng (xīn·líng heart · spirit [→ [spiritual]] 心灵 心靈)”, which connects spiritual matters with the heart, is indeed more familiar to modern-day native Mandarin-speakers and easier for them to understand, compared to “shǔlíng (shǔ·líng {(in the) category (of)} · spirit → [spiritual (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 notes change from “shǔlíng” to “xīnlíng”, etc.)] 属灵 屬靈)”.

An example I remember of “xīnlíng (xīn·líng heart · spirit [→ [spiritual]] 心灵 心靈)” being used by a worldly Mandarin-speaking person is that a few years ago, while answering an interview question about why she was taking so long to come out with new music, well-known singer Faye Wong said that “xīnlíng (xīn·líng heart · spirit [→ [spiritual]] 心灵 心靈) de (’s 的) shì (matters 事)”, like those touched upon in her music, take time to process.

(While some may wonder about connecting spirituality with any kind of worldly popular music, we should keep in mind that there are different kinds of popular music in the world, some being less focused on physical matters and comparatively more spiritual than others. Musicians are humans too, made in God’s image, so some of them may at times reflect, if imperfectly, some of God’s qualities and concerns. And as another well-known singer, Bono, has observed about music in general, “music is the language of the spirit”. We in the Mandarin field also know that the gift of music itself ultimately came from the Great Spirit Jehovah God himself, and we know that music is an important part of his worship.)