Tag: Related Expressions

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Current Events Theocratic

jīngjì

jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing [of]} · {crossing [of] a river → [helping]} → [economy | [is] economical | economic | financial condition] 经济 經濟) 👈🏼 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 an article from the No. 1 2026 issue of The Watchtower, with the title “Can Economic Reform Bring World Peace?”. By comparing the English version of this issue with the Mandarin version, we can see that the organization is using this week’s MEotW, “jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing [of]} · {crossing [of] a river → [helping]} → [economy | [is] economical | economic | financial condition] 经济 經濟)”, to correspond to the English word “economic”:

English:

Can Economic Reform Bring World Peace?

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Fāzhǎn (Fā·zhǎn {Sending Out → [Developing]} · {Opening Up} → [Developing] 发展 發展) Jīngjì (Jīng·jì {Managing of} · {Crossing of a River → [Helping]} → [the Economy] 经济 經濟) Néng (Can 能) Dàilái (Dài·lái Bring · {to Come} 带来 帶來) 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)?

Morphemic Breakdown

The “jīng ({pass through; undergo; experience [→ [bear; endure]]} | manage; {deal/engage in} | scripture; canon; classics | constant; regular | {warp (textiles)} [→ [longitude]] 经 經)” in “jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing [of]} · {crossing [of] a river → [helping]} → [economy | [is] economical | economic | financial condition] 经济 經濟)” has multiple possible meanings, several of which were discussed in the MEotW post on “lìjīng (lì·jīng {go through}; experience; undergo · {pass through; undergo; experience [→ [bear; endure]]} 历经 歷經)”. In “jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing [of]} · {crossing [of] a river → [helping]} → [economy | [is] economical | economic | financial condition] 经济 經濟)”, it seems to have its old but still current meaning of “managing [of]”.

As for the “jì ({cross [a river]} [→ [aid; relieve; help | benefit]] 济 濟)” in “jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing [of]} · {crossing [of] a river → [helping]} → [economy | [is] economical | economic | financial condition] 经济 經濟)”, in this expression it seems to have a literal meaning of “crossing [of] a river”, and an effective meaning of “helping”.

Together, the morphemes in “jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing [of]} · {crossing [of] a river → [helping]} → [economy | [is] economical | economic | financial condition] 经济 經濟)” seem to on one level of literalness mean “managing of helping”, effectively having meanings related to “economy” or “economic”. (Be careful not to confuse “jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing [of]} · {crossing [of] a river → [helping]} → [economy | [is] economical | economic | financial condition] 经济 經濟)” with past MEotW “zhèngzhì (zhèng·zhì {politics | political} · governing [→ [politics | political]] 政治)”, which basically means “politics” or “political”.)

More Usage Examples

Here are a couple more examples taken from the above-mentioned Watchtower article, of “jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing [of]} · {crossing [of] a river → [helping]} → [economy | [is] economical | economic | financial condition] 经济 經濟)” in use:

English:

Can economic reform truly address conflicts that are driven by nationalism, religious extremism, or political divisions?

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Fāzhǎn (Fā·zhǎn {sending out → [developing]} · {opening up} → [developing] 发展 發展) jīngjì (jīng·jì {managing of} · {crossing of a river → [helping]} → [the economy] 经济 經濟) jiù (then 就) néng (can 能) xiāochú (xiāo·chú eliminate · {get rid of} 消除) guójiā zhǔyì ((guó·jiā nation · family → [nation] 国家 國家) (zhǔ·yì master · meaning → [-ism] 主义 主義) → [nationalism]), zōngjiào (zōng·jiào {school of thought} · teaching → [religious] 宗教) jíduān zhǔyì ((jí·duān extreme · extremity → [extreme] 极端 極端) (zhǔ·yì master · meaning → [-ism] 主义 主義) → [extremism]), zhèngzhì (zhèng·zhì political · governing → [political] 政治) fēnqí (fēn·qí divided · branches → [disagreements] 分), děng (kind → [etc.] 等) dǎozhì (dǎo·zhì lead · {to extend to} 导致 導致) chōngtū (chōng·tū {dashings → [clashings]} · {chimneys → [dashings forward]} → [conflicts] 冲突 衝突) de (’ 的) yuányīn (yuán·yīn origins · causes 原因) ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)?

English:

Economic reforms cannot eliminate human greed. The Bible explains that true peace will come when people are taught God’s ways and not because of trade deals or economic reforms.

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Jīngjì (Jīng·jì {managing of} · {crossing of a river → [helping]} → [the economy] 经济 經濟) fāzhǎn (fā·zhǎn {sends out → [develops]} · {opens up} → [develops] 发展 發展) de (getting 得) zài (more 再) hǎo ({to be well} 好), yě (also 也) bùnéng (bù·néng not · can → [cannot] 不能) xiāochú (xiāo·chú eliminate · {get rid of} 消除) rén (humans 人) de (’ 的) tānyù (tān·yù {insatiably desiring} · desiring → [greed] 贪欲 貪欲/慾), zhōngzhǐ (zhōng·zhǐ end · stop 终止 終止) zhànzhēng (zhàn·zhēng wars · contendings → [wars] 战争 戰爭). Shèngjīng (Shèng·jīng (the) Holy · Scriptures → [the Bible] 圣经 聖經) shuō (says 说 說/説), suǒyǒu (suǒ·yǒu {(all) whom} · {(there) are having → [(there) are]} → [all] 所有) rén (people 人) dōu (all 都) jiēshòu (jiē·shòu {come into contact with → [receive]} · receive → [receive] 接受) Shàngdì (Shàng·dì Above’s · {Emperor → [God]} → [God] 上帝) de (’s 的) jiàoyù (jiào·yù teaching · educating → [education] 教育), shìjiè (shì·jiè {generation → [world]} · extent → [world] 世界) cái ({only then} 才 才/纔) huì (will 会 會) hépíng (hé·píng {be (together) with (one another)} · {be flat, level, even} → [be peaceful (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict)] 和平).

Categories
Culture Experiences Science Technology Theocratic

xúnhuán

xúnhuán (xún·huán {following [of]} · {ring → [circle]} → [circulating; cycling | cycle] 循环 循環) 👈🏼 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.]

We in the Mandarin field should keep in mind that many Mandarin-speaking people were taught to believe in evolution, and thus tend to not believe in God. 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 they are still considered current publications, and 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. So, it would be good for us to consider some of the expressions used in the Mandarin versions of the Was Life Created? and Origin of Life brochures, which can be so helpful when discussing the fundamentally important question of whether life was created.

Circles of Life

This week’s MEotW, which appears in the section of the Mandarin Was Life Created? brochure entitled “Shēngjī (Shēng·jī Life · {Mechanism → [Being Organic]} → [Life] 生机 生機)‐Bóbó (Bó·bó Flourishing · Flourishing 勃勃) de (’s 的) Dìqiú (Dì·qiú Earth · Globe → [Earth] 地球)” (“The Living Planet”), is “xúnhuán (xún·huán {following [of]} · {ring → [circle]} → [circulating; cycling | cycle] 循环 循環)”:

English:

Natural cycles that replenish and cleanse the planet’s air and water supply

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

📖 📄 📘 Zìrán (Zì·rán naturally · so → [natural] 自然) xúnhuán (xún·huán following · {ring → [circle]} → [cycling] 循环 循環) xìtǒng (xì·tǒng {tied (things) → [systems]} · {gathered together (things) → [interconnected systems]} → [systems] 系统 系統)—jì (both 既) néng (able 能) bǔjǐ (bǔ·jǐ {to mend → [to restore]} · {to supply} → [to replenish] 补给 補給) yòu (also 又) néng (able 能) jìnghuà (jìng·huà {to be clean} · {to transform} → [to cleanse] 净化 凈/淨化) dìqiú (dì·qiú earth · globe → [earth] 地球) de (’s 的) kōngqì (kōng·qì {(that which) is empty → [air]} · air → [air] 空气 空氣) hé ({(together) with} → [and] 和 和/龢) shuǐyuán (shuǐ·yuán water · sources 水源)

As can be seen from the above quotes, the Mandarin Was Life Created? brochure uses “xúnhuán (xún·huán {following [of]} · {ring → [circle]} → [circulating; cycling | cycle] 循环 循環)” in connection with “cycles”. Looking into the morphemic construction of “xúnhuán (xún·huán {following [of]} · {ring → [circle]} → [circulating; cycling | cycle] 循环 循環)”, we see that the first morpheme “xún (follow; {abide by}; {adhere to}; {comply with} 循)” in this context means “following [of]”. The second morpheme “huán (ring [→ [circle; loop; [(chain)] link | surround; encircle]] 环 環)” literally means “ring”, and in this context, it effectively means “circle”.

In the material that follows the above quotations, the Was Life Created? brochure goes into depth about how the water cycle, the carbon and oxygen cycles, and the nitrogen cycle cleanly, elegantly, and perfectly make it possible for life to continue to exist on the earth, in contrast to comparatively primitive and inelegant human systems that create huge amounts of toxic waste. That begs the question: If human systems like those that produce things like microplastics and nuclear waste obviously were designed by intelligent beings, then how about the obviously better-designed cyclic systems in “nature”?

Rings Around the Forbidden City

By the way, another use of the “huán (ring [→ [circle; loop; [(chain)] link | surround; encircle]] 环 環)” in “xúnhuán (xún·huán {following [of]} · {ring → [circle]} → [circulating; cycling | cycle] 循环 循環)” that many Mandarin-speaking people may be familiar with is in the Mandarin names of the ring roads of Beijing.

Map showing Beijing’s ring roads

A map showing Beijing’s ring roads (source)

For example, Beijing’s 5th Ring Road (the 5th one from the centre, where the famous Forbidden City imperial palace complex is located) is named Wǔ (Five → [5th] 五) Huán (Ring 环 環) Lù (Road 路) in Mandarin.

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
Current Events Theocratic

shìjiè hépíng

shìjiè (shì·jiè {generation → [world]} · extent → [world] 世界)
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) 👈🏼 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 No. 1 2026 issue of The Watchtower, the theme of which is “Is World Peace Possible?”. By comparing the English version of this issue with the Mandarin version, we can see that the organization is using this week’s MEotW, “shìjiè (shì·jiè {generation → [world]} · extent → [world] 世界) 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)”, to translate the English expression “world peace” into Mandarin:

English:

Is World Peace Possible?

World peace is possible. In fact, it is a certainty—but not in the way you might expect.

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Shìjiè (Shì·jiè {Generation → [World]} · Extent → [World] 世界) 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) Zhǐshì (Zhǐ·shì Only · Is 只是) Mèng ({a Dream} 梦 夢) Ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)?

📖 📄 📘 Shìjiè (Shì·jiè {generation → [world]} · extent → [the world] 世界) yídìng (yí·dìng {(with) one} · {setting fixedly} → [definitely] 一定) huì (will 会 會) hépíng (hé·píng {be (together) with (one another)} · {be flat, level, even} → [be peaceful (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict)] 和平), dàn (but 但) shíxiàn (shí·xiàn (it) {solidly → [really]} · {will appear} → [(it) will come true] 实现 實現) de (’s 的) fāngshì (fāng·shì direction · style → [way] 方式) yěxǔ (yě·xǔ {on the whole} · maybe 也许 也許) shì ({will be} 是) nǐ (you 你) xiǎng‐budào ((xiǎng {thinking of} 想)‐(bu·dào not · {are arriving at} 不到) → [are not expecting]) de ({’s (way)} 的)!

A Specific Kind of Peace

“Shìjiè (Shì·jiè {generation → [world]} · extent → [world] 世界)” effectively means “world”, and as Appendix A2 of the Mandarin New World Translation Bible tells us, “hépíng (hé·píng {[is/being] (together) with (one another)} · {[is/being] flat, level, even} → [peace | [is] peaceful | peacefully (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict)] 和平)” mainly refers to a specific kind of peace: the absence of war or conflict. So, it is the appropriate Mandarin expression to use to refer to the kind of peace that people generally have in mind when they use the English expression “world peace”.

Other Kinds of Peace

Past MEotW posts have discussed the Mandarin expressions used to refer to other kinds of peace, as discussed in Appendix A2 of the Mandarin New World Translation Bible. For example, the MEotW post on “ānníng ({being peaceful}; {being tranquil} [→ [peace; tranquillity]] 安宁 安寧)” has this to say:

Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) explains that “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)” mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict. However, even in a situation in which there is no hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平), God’s holy spirit can still help people to maintain the spiritual quality of ānníng ({being peaceful}; {being tranquil} 安宁 安寧) in their hearts—inner peace.

As for the MEotW post on “hémù ({[is] harmonious} [→ [harmony; peaceful relations]] 和睦)”, it says:

Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) explains that “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)” mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict. In contrast, “hémù ({[is] harmonious} 和睦)” is used here in a more positive and precise way to refer to the peaceful harmony and unity that the Christ makes possible for “shuāngfāng (shuāng·fāng (the) two · {directions → [parties]} 双方 雙方)”, “the two groups”, Jews and non-Jews.

Additionally, the MEotW post on “héxié ({[is] harmonious} [→ [harmony]] 和谐 和諧)” says:

Why doesn’t the Mandarin translation use good old “píng’ān (píng’·ān {[is] flat, level, even → [[is] peaceful]} · {[is] safe, secure} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to things being smooth and stable, safe and secure, free of danger) 平安)” or “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)” to translate “peace” in this verse? Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) explains that “píng’ān (píng’·ān {[is] flat, level, even → [[is] peaceful]} · {[is] safe, secure} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to things being smooth and stable, safe and secure, free of danger) 平安)” mainly refers to things being smooth and stable, safe and secure, free of danger, and that “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)” mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict. These are specific aspects of peace that don’t necessarily apply in every context.

We can see that those who translated the current Mandarin NWT Bible felt that the context of 1 Corinthians 14:33, which discusses who should speak when during meetings for spiritual encouragement, calls for “héxié ({[is] harmonious} 和谐 和諧)” to be used in this verse to translate the Greek word ei·reʹne, since the harmony that “héxié ({[is] harmonious} 和谐 和諧)” refers to contrasts well with the dissonance and disorder that would result if a meeting degenerated into a free-for-all of people speaking whenever and however they pleased.