Tag: Creation

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 evident truth that Jehovah God deserves to be recognized and honoured as our Creator. 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 this potentially life-altering truth with Mandarin-speaking people.—Revelation 4:11 (English WOL, Mandarin WOL, Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus).

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.

Categories
Experiences Science Technology Theocratic

cuòzōng‐fùzá

cuòzōng (cuò·zōng {[is] interlocked and jagged → [[is] intricate]} · {[is] combined → [[is] composite]} → [[is] intricate; complex; tangled] 错综 錯綜)‐fùzá (fù·zá {[is] turned around → [[is] compound; complex]} · {[is] mixed} → [[is] complicated; complex] 复杂 複雜) 👈🏼 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.

It’s Complicated

This week’s MEotW, “cuòzōng (cuò·zōng {[is] interlocked and jagged → [[is] intricate]} · {[is] combined → [[is] composite]} → [[is] intricate; complex; tangled] 错综 錯綜)‐fùzá (fù·zá {[is] turned around → [[is] compound; complex]} · {[is] mixed} → [[is] complicated; complex] 复杂 複雜)”, occurs in the box at the end of the QUESTION 1 section of the Origin of Life brochure, which section is entitled, in English, “How Did Life Begin?”:

English:

Question: What takes greater faith—to believe that the millions of intricately coordinated parts of a cell arose by chance or to believe that the cell is the product of an intelligent mind?

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

📖 📄 📘 Qǐng (please 请 請) xiǎngxiang (xiǎng·xiang {think about} · {think about} 想想): Xìbāo (Xì·bāo tiny · womb → [cell] 细胞 細胞) de (’s 的) wúshù (wú·shù without · number 无数 無數) bùfen (parts 部分) cuòzōng (cuò·zōng {are interlocked → [are intricate]} · {are combined → [are composite]} → [are intricate] 错综 錯綜)‐fùzá (fù·zá {are turned around → [are compound]} · {are mixed} → [are complex] 复杂 複雜), xiānghù ({with each other} 相互) xiétiáo (xié·tiáo {assisting → [coordinatedly]} · {are regulated → [fit in perfectly]} → [coordinate] 协调 協調), nǐ (you 你) rènwéi (rèn·wéi {do identify} · {(it) to be} (that) 认为 認為) xìbāo (xì·bāo tiny · womb → [cell] 细胞 細胞) shì (is 是) pèngqiǎo (pèng·qiǎo {having bumped into} · {being coincidental} → [by chance] 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), háishi (hái·shi {still more → [or]} · {is (it)} 还是 還是) zhìhuì (zhì·huì wisdom · intelligence → [wisdom] 智慧) de (’s 的) jiéjīng (jié·jīng {tied (into a knot) → [formed]} · crystal → [crystallization] 结晶 結晶) ne ([? ptcl] 呢)? Nǎ (which 哪) yí (one 一) yàng (form → [way] 样 樣) cái ({only then} 才 才/纔) shì (is 是) bùkě (bù·kě (one) not · can → [(one) cannot] 不可) zhìxìn (zhì·xìn place · {believing in} → [believe (usually used in the negative)] 置信) de ({’s (way)} 的) ne ([? ptcl] 呢)?

It’s Really Complicated

In “cuòzōng (cuò·zōng {[being] interlocked and jagged → [[being] intricate]} · {[being] combined → [[being] composite]} → [[being] intricate; complex; tangled | (mental) complex (n)] 错综 錯綜)”, “cuò ({[is] alternating; staggered} [→ [[is] wrong; mistaken; incorrect; erroneous | missed | grinding; rubbing | moving to the side | mistake; error; blunder [→ [fault]]]] | {[is] interlocked and jagged} [→ [intricate]] 错 錯)” literally means “interlocked and jagged”, and it effectively means “intricate”. Interestingly, this “cuò ({[is] alternating; staggered} [→ [[is] wrong; mistaken; incorrect; erroneous | missed | grinding; rubbing | moving to the side | mistake; error; blunder [→ [fault]]]] | {[is] interlocked and jagged} [→ [intricate]] 错 錯)” is used in other contexts to literally mean “alternating; staggered”, and to effectively mean “wrong; mistaken; incorrect; erroneous”. For example, it is used this way in “cuòwù (cuò·wù {[being] alternating; staggered → [[being] wrong; mistaken; incorrect; erroneous]} · {[being] mistaken; in error; wrong; false; inaccurate} [→ [error; blunder; mistake]] 错误 錯誤)”, as in “cuòwù (cuò·wù {staggered → [erroneous]} · false 错误 錯誤) de (’s 的) zōngjiào (zōng·jiào {schools of thought} · teachings → [religion] 宗教)” (false religion). As for “zōng ({[is] put together; combined} [→ [[is] aggregate; composite]] 综 綜)”, it literally means “put together; combined”, and effectively means “aggregate; composite”. As a whole, “cuòzōng (cuò·zōng {[being] interlocked and jagged → [[being] intricate]} · {[being] combined → [[being] composite]} → [[being] intricate; complex; tangled | (mental) complex (n)] 错综 錯綜)” effectively means “intricate; complex”, even “tangled”.

“Fùzá (Fù·zá {[is] turned around → [[is] compound; complex]} · {[is] mixed} → [[is] complicated; complex] 复杂 複雜)” is a well-known expression meaning “complicated” or “complex”. However, many probably don’t know that its first morpheme “fù ({turn around/over} [→ [recover; restore; return; resume | duplicate; repeat | again; repeatedly | [is] compound; complex; composite | reply; answer | avenge; retaliate]] 复 復)” literally means “turn around/over”, and that while it effectively means “compound; complex” in “fùzá (fù·zá {[is] turned around → [[is] compound; complex]} · {[is] mixed} → [[is] complicated; complex] 复杂 複雜)”, in other expressions such as “fùhuó (fù·huó {being turned around → [being restored]} · {to be living} → [resurrection] 复活 復活)”, it effectively means “recover; restore; return; resume”. Many may also be unaware that this expression’s other morpheme “zá (miscellaneous; mixed; composite; various; blended; assorted | mix; mingle 杂 雜/襍)”, which basically means “mixed”, also appears in “zázhì (zá·zhì miscellaneous; mixed · records (publication) → [magazine; journal; periodical] 杂志 雜志/誌)”.

When they’re all put together, the morphemes in “cuòzōng (cuò·zōng {[is] interlocked and jagged → [[is] intricate]} · {[is] combined → [[is] composite]} → [[is] intricate; complex; tangled] 错综 錯綜)‐fùzá (fù·zá {[is] turned around → [[is] compound; complex]} · {[is] mixed} → [[is] complicated; complex] 复杂 複雜)” repeatedly tell us that this expression refers to things that are really, emphatically complicated.

It’s Really, Really Complicated

It’s appropriate then, that the Mandarin Origin of Life brochure uses this expression to refer to the “millions of intricately coordinated parts of a cell”. Truly, most who have not specifically looked into the matter have no idea how fantastically complex even a single living cell is, never mind living organisms like us humans that are each made up of tens of trillions of cells, of which there are hundreds of different types. The Mandarin Origin of Life brochure can help Mandarin-speaking people to more deeply appreciate this astronomical complexity that’s present in our very own bodies. I personally have been helped this way as I have been working on producing Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus material for it. Let us not hesitate to make good use of the Origin of Life brochure in the Mandarin field!

For convenience:

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

The short link for Chinese field language-learning links for the Origin of Life 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 Origin of Life brochure will be made available in the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus web resource as time allows.

Categories
Language Learning Science Technology Theocratic

qūshǐ

qūshǐ (qū·shǐ {spur on (a horse) → [urge on]} · make; cause → [prompt; urge; spur on] 驱使 驅使) 👈🏼 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.

Prompt

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 “qūshǐ (qū·shǐ {spur on (a horse) → [urge on]} · make; cause → [prompt; urge; spur on] 驱使 驅使)”:

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).

While the first morpheme in “qūshǐ (qū·shǐ {spur on (a horse) → [urge on]} · make; cause → [prompt; urge; spur on] 驱使 驅使)” seems to have originally had a literal meaning of “spur a horse on”—as hinted at by the “马/馬 (horse)” radical/character component in it—in the context of “qūshǐ (qū·shǐ {spur on (a horse) → [urge on]} · make; cause → [prompt; urge; spur on] 驱使 驅使)” it’s used to mean “urge on”. (Interestingly, this morpheme is also used in “xiānqū (xiān·qū {in advance} · {drives (a horse/car/etc.) → [runs quickly]} (person) → [pioneer] 先驱 先驅)” (“pioneer”), in which it probably has an effective meaning of “runs quickly”.) Combined with “shǐ (causing; making | using | sending | envoy | if 使)”, which in this context means “make” or “cause”, we get an effective meaning of “urge”, “spur on”, or “prompt”, as shown in the above example.

Bearing Witness in Mandarin

As the Was Life Created? brochure says, our objective in talking to people in the Mandarin field about whether life was created is just to prompt or encourage them to think about why they believe what they believe about this subject. That’s why we’re called Jehovah’s Witnesses—we bear witness and testify regarding the evidence.—Isaiah 43:10–12.

Of course, in the Mandarin field, we need to do this using the Mandarin language. Let us be prepared, not just to read Chinese characters from a page or a screen 📱, but to actually talk with people in Mandarin and help them understand the evidence that the Creator exists, and that he will through his Kingdom government make this earth into a peaceful paradise, without the wars, natural disasters, and other problems that we see around us today.

While evolution/creation can be a relatively technically challenging subject to talk to people about, especially in Mandarin, thankfully, Jehovah and his organization have provided excellent tools like the Was Life Created? brochure, the JW Language app (iOS/iPadOS, Android, Microsoft Store), etc. to help us. In general, the technology, tools, and resources now available to help with Mandarin language learning are also better than ever. (Links to some Mandarin field language-learning resources can be found here.) Let us each move forward with a positive attitude on our own personal Mandarin-learning journey, and not be held back by the traditions and limitations of the past.

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.