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Culture Language Learning Science Technology Theocratic

yǔzhòu

yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [[the] universe; cosmos; space | cosmic] 宇宙) 👈🏼 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. 3 2021 issue of Awake! magazine, about what the universe tells us about a Creator. The title of this article, in English and in Mandarin, is as follows:

English:

What the Universe Tells Us

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Yǔzhòu (Yǔ·zhòu Universe · {All Time, Past, Present, and Future} → [The Universe] 宇宙) Gàosu (Tells 告诉 告訴) Wǒmen (Wǒ·men Us · [pl] 我们 我們) Shénme (Shén·me What · [suf] 什么 什/甚麼)?

As can be seen from the above example, “yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [[the] universe; cosmos; space | cosmic] 宇宙)”, this week’s MEotW, is the Mandarin expression meaning “the universe”. And, as can be seen from this expression’s Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus “flashcard”, its constituent morphemes mean “[the] universe; all time, past, present, and future”.

Wiktionary’s entry for “yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [[the] universe; cosmos; space | cosmic] 宇宙)” contains the following comment about the etymology of this expression:

Meyer (2010) proposes that “eaves and roof beams” was a synecdoche for a domicile’s entire space; this figure of speech would later be appropriated by early authors and later Huainanziʼs contributors as “a metaphor for the cosmos, taking “eaves” [宇] and “roof beams” [宙] to represent the dimensions of space and time[, respectively] that compose the entire phenomenal universe.”[1]

Spacetime

Interestingly, these meanings of the morphemes in “yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [[the] universe; cosmos; space | cosmic] 宇宙)” match up with the morphemes in the English word “spacetime”. The Wikipedia article for this is introduced with the following:

In physics, spacetime, also called the space-time continuum, is a mathematical model that fuses the three dimensions of space and the one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional continuum. Spacetime diagrams are useful in visualizing and understanding relativistic effects, such as how different observers perceive where and when events occur.

Until the turn of the 20th century, the assumption had been that the three-dimensional geometry of the universe (its description in terms of locations, shapes, distances, and directions) was distinct from time (the measurement of when events occur within the universe). However, space and time took on new meanings with the Lorentz transformation and special theory of relativity.

In 1908, Hermann Minkowski presented a geometric interpretation of special relativity that fused time and the three spatial dimensions into a single four-dimensional continuum now known as Minkowski space. This interpretation proved vital to the general theory of relativity, wherein spacetime is curved by mass and energy.

“Because They Were Designed?”

“Yǔzhòu (Yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [[the] universe; cosmos; space | cosmic] 宇宙)” also appears in the concluding paragraph of the above-mentioned article from the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake!:

English:

Based on his scientific knowledge of the universe and its properties, physicist Paul Davies concluded: “I cannot believe that our existence in this universe is a mere quirk of fate, an accident of history, an incidental blip in the great cosmic drama. . . . We are truly meant to be here.” Davies does not teach that God created the universe and human life, but what do you think? The universe and the earth seem to be designed to make life possible. Could it be that they seem that way because they were designed?

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Wùlǐ‐xué‐jiā ((Wù·lǐ things’ · {logic → [laws]} → [physics] 物理)‐(xué studying 学 學)‐(jiā -ist 家) → [physicist]) Bǎoluó (Paul 保罗 保羅) Dàiwéisī (Davies 戴维斯 戴維斯) gēnjù (gēn·jù {(at) root} · {according to} → [based on] 根据 根據) zìjǐ (self 自己) duì (towards 对 對) yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [the universe] 宇宙) jí (and 及) tiānwén (tiān·wén heavens’ · {natural phenomena} → [astronomical] 天文) fǎzé (fǎ·zé laws · principles 法则 法則) de (’ 的) liǎojiě (liǎo·jiě understanding · {untying → [solving]} → [understanding] 了解 了/瞭解) zhèyàng (zhè·yàng this · {form → [way]} 这样 這樣) shuō (said 说 說/説): “Wǒ (I 我) wúfǎ (wú·fǎ {do not have} · {way to} → [cannot] 无法 無法) xiāngxìn (xiāng·xìn {each other → [it]} · believe → [believe] 相信), rénlèi (rén·lèi human·kind 人类 人類) zài (in 在) zhèige (zhèi·ge this · [mw] 这个 這個) yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [universe] 宇宙) de (’s 的) cúnzài (cún·zài existing · {being present} 存在), zhǐshì (zhǐ·shì merely · is 只是) qiǎohé (qiǎo·hé {being coincidental → [coincidentally]} · {closing → [fitting]} → [coincidental] 巧合) huò (or 或) xìjù‐xìng ((xìjù (having) drama 戏剧 戲劇)‐(xìng nature → [quality] 性) → [dramatic]) de (’s 的) tūfā (tū·fā {chimney → [dashing forward → [unexpectedly]]} · issued → [appeared unexpectedly] 突) shìjiàn (shì·jiàn incident · [mw] 事件)…wǒmen de ((wǒ·men us · [pl] 我们 我們) (de ’s 的) → [our]) cúnzài (cún·zài existing · {being present} 存在) kěndìng (kěn·dìng agreeing · certainly → [definitely] 肯定) shì (is 是) yǒu (having 有) yuányīn (yuán·yīn origin · reason 原因) de ({’s (thing)} 的).” Dàiwéisī (Davies 戴维斯 戴維斯) bìng (actually 并 並/竝/并) méiyǒu (méi·yǒu not · {has → [does]} → [does not] 没有 沒有) zhǔzhāng (zhǔ·zhāng advocate · spread (that) → [hold (that)] 主张 主張) yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [the universe] 宇宙) hé ({(together) with} → [and] 和 和/龢) rénlèi (rén·lèi human·kind 人类 人類) shì (are 是) Shàngdì (Shàng·dì Above’s · {Emperor → [God]} → [God] 上帝) chuàngzào (chuàng·zào initiated · {made, created} → [created] 创造 創造) de ({’s (things)} 的). Dàn (but 但) nǐ (you 你) juéde (jué·de {to wake to → [to feel]} · {(how do) get} → [how do feel] 觉得 覺得) ne ([? ptcl] 呢)? Jìrán (Jì·rán since · -ly 既然) yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [the universe] 宇宙) hé ({(together) with} → [and] 和 和/龢) dìqiú (dì·qiú earth · globe → [the earth] 地球) zhème (zhè·me {this (much)} · [suf for interrogatives and adverbs] 这么/末 這麼/末) shìhé (shì·hé {are suitable for} · {are closing with → [are fitting with]} 适合 適合) shēngmìng (life 生命) cúnzài (cún·zài existing · {being present} 存在), nàme (nà·me {(in) that (case) → [then]} · [suf] 那么/末 那麼/末) tāmen (tā·men it · [pl] → [they] 它们 它/牠們) shì (are 是) bèi ([passive signifier] → [were] 被) shèjì (shè·jì {set up} · planned → [designed] 设计 設計) chulai (chu·lai out · {to come} 出来 出來) de ({’s (things)} 的) ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)?

A Particular Need in the Mandarin Field

It’s worth noting that the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! was recently in the Teaching Toolbox in the JW Library app. In fact, for a time, 3 out of the 6 books or brochures in the Teaching Toolbox—fully one half of them—were focused on the subject of creation/evolution. Additionally, the Enjoy Life Forever! book, which is still in the Teaching Toolbox, has an entire lesson on the subject “How Did Life Begin?”. This big presence in the Teaching Toolbox for a time of material focused on creation/evolution reflects a recent heavy emphasis on this issue on the part of the organization.

Indeed, for people in general to find real spiritual truth and make real spiritual progress, the question of the Creator’s existence is the first basic question that needs to be answered well in their minds, otherwise they are left with just the conflicting opinions, speculations, and platitudes of mere limited, imperfect humans. As Proverbs 9:10 says:

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom,
And knowledge of the Most Holy One is understanding.

In the Mandarin field in particular, it is especially necessary to focus on the issue of the Creator’s existence, because current worldly Chinese culture has particularly heavily predisposed many Mandarin-speakers to not believe in a Creator.

At the same time, the worldwide Mandarin field is by far the largest language field in the world, and it’s likely that it is the largest language field ever in history.

Chart: Languages by First-Language Speakers—2019

So, the need is especially great for Mandarin field language learners to be able to help Mandarin-speakers overcome their cultural backgrounds and cultivate faith in the Creator!

Creation/Evolution, and Also the Great Wall of Characters

However, I suspect that even in their mother tongue, many Mandarin field language learners would be hesitant to discuss creation/evolution, since it is an especially deeply technical subject. Adding the requirement to conduct the discussion in Mandarin, which has traditionally been written using the extraordinarily complex Chinese characters, to many just makes an already daunting task seem even more undoable.

The Great Wall of China

In addition to the inherent technical difficulty of the subject of creation/evolution, Mandarin field language learners also face the Great Wall of characters.

To help with this formidable challenge, the organization’s official Mandarin digital material for the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake!, and for the Was Life Created? and Origin of Life brochures, is available with Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音). Additionally, unofficial Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus material—specifically designed, not to be spiritual food, but for helping Mandarin field language learners to get past the Great Wall of characters and actually learn to understand and speak the Mandarin they need—is available for the Was Life Created? and Origin of Life brochures, and should eventually be available for the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! too. For updates on these Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resources, keep an eye on this blog, on the Links News blog, and on the related account on the social network of your choice listed on this blog’s Contact page.

Categories
Culture Language Learning Science Technology Theocratic

qià‐dào‐hǎochu

qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià just; exactly 恰)‐(dào {[is] having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · places; points [→ [benefits; advantages | gain; profit]] 好处 好處) → [[is] perfect; just right]) 👈🏼 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, the Teaching Toolbox in the JW Library app had recently included the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! magazine. While it is not currently in the Teaching Toolbox, this question considered in this issue, “Should You Believe in a Creator?”, remains an important one for Mandarin field language learners to pay special attention to. Many of the Mandarin-speaking people in the field especially need help with this matter, because their cultural background tends to cause them to not believe in a Creator. At the same time, though, whether the Creator exists remains the first major question that needs to be settled before they can make real further spiritual progress. Another important factor is that the worldwide Mandarin field continues to be huge, probably the language field with more people in it than any other language field in history.

For us Mandarin field language learners, though, using Mandarin to discuss the question of the Creator’s existence is especially challenging and requires special effort from us, because of the particularly deeply technical concepts and vocabulary involved. And, this is in addition to the usual unusual challenges presented by Chinese characters, the general misinformation and disinformation present in the world about the Chinese languages, etc.

Finely Tuned to Be Just Right

This week’s MEotW, “qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià just; exactly 恰)‐(dào {[is] having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · places; points [→ [benefits; advantages | gain; profit]] 好处 好處) → [[is] perfect; just right])”, occurs in the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! magazine in the fifth and sixth paragraphs of the article “What the Universe Tells Us”:

English:

The universe is fine-tuned to support life. Consider what scientists call the weak force. It keeps our sun burning at a steady rate. If the force were weaker, the sun would never have formed. If it were stronger, the sun would have disappeared long ago.

The weak force is just one of several finely tuned features that we depend on. …

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Yǔzhòu (Yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [universe] 宇宙) zhōng (within 中) de (’s 的) gèzhǒng (gè·zhǒng each · {type of} 各种 各種) lì (force 力) dōu ({each one of them} 都) qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià exactly 恰)‐(dào {is having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · place 好处 好處) → [is just right]), suǒyǐ (suǒ·yǐ {that which} · {is the reason} → [thus] 所以) shēngmìng (life 生命) cái ({only then} 才 才/纔) néng ({is able} 能) cúnzài (cún·zài {to exist} · {to be present} 存在). Lái (come 来 來) kànkan (kàn·kan {look at} · {look at} 看看) kēxué‐jiā ((kē·xué {branches of study} · learning → [science] 科学 科學)‐(jiā -ists 家) → [scientists]) suǒ ({that which (they)} 所) shuō ({speak of} 说 說/説) de (’s 的) ruò (weak 弱)‐hélì (hé·lì {pit (of a fruit) → [nuclear]} · force 核力), zhèi (this 这 這) zhǒng ({type of} 种 種/种) lì (force 力) ràng (allows 让 讓) tàiyáng (tài·yáng highest · {positive/active/male principle in nature (Chinese philosophy)} → [sun] 太阳 太陽) yǐ (at 以) wěndìng (wěn·dìng steady · set 稳定 穩定) de (’s 的) sùdù (sù·dù {being fast → [speed]} · degree → [rate] 速度) ránshāo (rán·shāo {to be ignited} · {to burn} 燃烧 燃燒). Rúguǒ (Rú·guǒ if · {fruit → [if indeed]} 如果) zhèi (this 这 這) zhǒng ({type of} 种 種/种) lì (force 力) ruò ({was weak} 弱) yìdiǎnr (yì·diǎnr a · bit (more) 一点 一點), tàiyáng (tài·yáng highest · {positive/active/male principle in nature (Chinese philosophy)} → [sun] 太阳 太陽) jiù (then 就) wúfǎ (wú·fǎ {would not have had} · way → [would have been unable] 无法 無法) xíngchéng (xíng·chéng {form (n)} · {to come to be} → [to form] 形成); rúguǒ (rú·guǒ if · {fruit → [if indeed]} 如果) zhèi (this 这 這) zhǒng ({type of} 种 種/种) lì (force 力) qiáng ({was strong} 强 強/彊) yìdiǎnr (yì·diǎnr a · bit (more) 一点 一點), tàiyáng (tài·yáng highest · {positive/active/male principle in nature (Chinese philosophy)} → [sun] 太阳 太陽) jiù (then 就) huì (would 会 會) ránshāo (rán·shāo ignite · burn 燃烧 燃燒) de (getting 得) tài ({too much} 太) kuài ({to be quick} 快), zǎo ({early on} 早) jiù (then 就) xiāoshī (xiāo·shī {would have disappeared} · {would have been lost} 消失) le ([(at the end of a phrase/sentence) indicates a change] 了).

📖 📄 📘 Ruò (weak 弱)‐hélì (hé·lì {pit (of a fruit) → [nuclear]} · force 核力) qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià exactly 恰)‐(dào {is having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · place 好处 好處) → [is just right]), dàn (but 但) tā (it 它) zhǐshì (zhǐ·shì only · is 只是) wéichí (wéi·chí maintaining · {holding → [sustaining]} → [sustaining] 维持 維持) shēngmìng (life 生命) de (’s 的) qízhōng (qí·zhōng them · among 其中) yí (one 一) ge ([mw] 个 個/个) yīnsù (yīn·sù cause · {raw silk → [basic element]} → [factor] 因素). …

In the above examples, “qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià just; exactly 恰)‐(dào {[is] having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · places; points [→ [benefits; advantages | gain; profit]] 好处 好處) → [[is] perfect; just right])” is used to correspond with the English expressions “fine-tuned” and “finely tuned”. While much cruder than the exquisite systems found in the natural world, many systems produced by human technology can help us to understand the need for certain factors to be finely tuned before an even moderately complex system can function properly. For example, a phone number that’s off by just one number is a wrong number, and older readers will remember radios that needed to be tuned to a certain frequency before the desired radio station could be heard clearly. Speaking of readers, anyone reading this post first had to follow a link (or manually type in a URL) that had to be coded just right—if the web address requested was not within a narrow margin of error, this post would not have loaded!

Let us, then, remember this week’s MEotW, “qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià just; exactly 恰)‐(dào {[is] having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · places; points [→ [benefits; advantages | gain; profit]] 好处 好處) → [[is] perfect; just right])”, so that we can be helped to be able to talk to Mandarin-speaking people about how the universe, the sun, the earth, our own bodies, etc. are tuned to be just right, so that we can live, ponder how we got here, and get to know our Creator.

A Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resource for the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! magazine, which discusses the question “Should You Believe in a Creator?”, is in the works. For updates on the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resources that are available, keep an eye on this blog, on the Links News blog, and on the related account on the social network of your choice listed on this blog’s Contact page.

Categories
Science Technology Theocratic

qiǎohé

qiǎohé (qiǎo·hé {being coincidental → [coincidentally]} · {closing [with] → [suiting; fitting; matching]} → [coincidental] | coincidental · {closing → [suiting; fitting; matching]} → [coinciding | coincidence] 巧合) 👈🏼 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.

“Coincidences”! Sure…

This week’s MEotW, which appears in the first paragraph of 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 地球)” (“The Living Planet”), is “qiǎohé (qiǎo·hé {being coincidental → [coincidentally]} · {closing [with] → [suiting; fitting; matching]} → [coincidental] | coincidental · {closing → [suiting; fitting; matching]} → [coinciding | coincidence] 巧合)”:

English:

Life on earth could never exist were it not for a series of very fortunate “coincidences,” …Those coincidences include the following:

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

📖 📄 📘 Dìqiú (Dì·qiú earth · globe 地球) zài (in 在) hěn (very 很) duō (many 多) fāngmiàn (fāng·miàn {directions → [sides]} · faces → [aspects] 方面) dōu ({all of them} 都) “qiǎohé (qiǎo·hé {being coincidental → [coincidentally]} · {closing → [matching]} → [coincidental] 巧合)” de (-ly 地) pèihe (pèi·he matches · {closes → [accords]} → [is suitable] 配合) de (getting 得) tiān‐yī‐wúfèng ((tiān (to be) heavenly 天)‐(yī garment 衣)‐(wú·fèng without · seams 无缝 無縫) → [to be flawless]), yào (if 要)‐bu ((it) not 不)‐shì ({would be} 是) zhèyàng (zhè·yàng this · {form → [way]} 这样 這樣), dìqiú (dì·qiú earth · globe 地球) shang (upon 上) gēnběn (gēn·běn {root (of a plant)} · {root or stem of a plant} → [basically] 根本) jiù (then 就) bù (not 不) kěnéng (could 可能) yǒu (have 有) shēngmìng (life 生命). … Zhèixiē (Zhèi·xiē this · {indefinite number of} → [these] 这些 這些) “qiǎohé (qiǎo·hé coincidental · {closings → [matchings]} → [coincidences] 巧合)” bāokuò (bāo·kuò wrap · {draw together} → [include] 包括):

In the above quote, “qiǎohé (qiǎo·hé {being coincidental → [coincidentally]} · {closing [with] → [suiting; fitting; matching]} → [coincidental] | coincidental · {closing → [suiting; fitting; matching]} → [coinciding | coincidence] 巧合)” is used as an adjective and as a noun, corresponding with “coincidental” and “coincidences”.

In “qiǎohé (qiǎo·hé {being coincidental → [coincidentally]} · {closing [with] → [suiting; fitting; matching]} → [coincidental] | coincidental · {closing → [suiting; fitting; matching]} → [coinciding | coincidence] 巧合)”, “qiǎo ({[is] clever; intelligent; skillful; ingenious} | {[being] opportune; coincidental} [→ [coincidentally]] 巧)” means “[being] coincidental”, which meaning it also has in “pèngqiǎo (pèng·qiǎo {having bumped into} · {being coincidental} → [by chance/coincidence] 碰巧)”, a past MEotW. As for “hé ({close; shut [with]} [→ [join; combine; gather [with] | accord [with]; conform [to]; suit; agree [with] | be fitting | be equal [to] | be proper; be appropriate | be matching [with]]] 合)”, it literally means “close/closing [with]”, and it can have various effective meanings that include “join; combine; gather [with]” and “suiting; fitting; matching”. This morpheme also appears in expressions as diverse as “hélǐ (hé·lǐ {[is] closing with → [[is] fitting/according with]} · reason → [[is] rational; reasonable; equitable] 合理)”, “Liánhé Guó ((Lián·hé United · {Closed → [Joined]} 联合 聯合) (Guó Nations 国 國) → [United Nations])”, and past MEotW “fēnzǐ jùhé‐tǐ ((fēn·zǐ {divided (off)} · {small and hard thing} → [molecular] 分子) (jù·hé assembled · {closed → [combined]} → [polymerized] 聚合)‐(tǐ body 体 體/体/躰) → [(protein) molecular machine])”.

“Coincidences”? Or Products of Purposeful Design?

The Was Life Created? brochure goes on to list the features of the earth that are discussed in that section of the brochure:

  • Earth’s location in the Milky Way galaxy and the solar system, as well as the planet’s orbit, tilt, rotational speed, and unusual moon
  • A magnetic field and an atmosphere that serve as a dual shield
  • Natural cycles that replenish and cleanse the planet’s air and water supply

Next comes an invitation that we would do well to learn how to extend to those we speak to in the Mandarin field:

English:

As you consider each of these topics, ask yourself, ‘Are earth’s features a product of blind chance or of purposeful design?’

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

📖 📄 📘 Jiē ({coming into contact with} → [taking hold of] (the baton next) 接) xialai (xia·lai down · {to come} 下来 下來), wǒmen (wǒ·men we · [pl] 我们 我們) huì (will 会 會) zhúyī (zhú·yī {one after another} · one → [one by one] 逐一) tántan (tán·tan discuss · discuss 谈谈 談談) zhè (these 这 這) jǐ (few 几 幾) fāngmiàn (fāng·miàn {directions → [sides]} · faces → [aspects] 方面). Nǐ (you 你) yuèdú (read 阅读 閱/閲讀) xiàwén (xià·wén below’s · writing → [following text] 下文) shí ({(particular) times} 时 時), bùfáng (bù·fáng {(there is) not} · hindering (in) → [there is no harm in] 不妨) wènwen (wèn·wen asking · asking 问问 問問) zìjǐ (self 自己): “Dìqiú (Dì·qiú earth · globe 地球) yǒu (having 有) zhèixiē (zhèi·xiē this · {indefinite number of} → [these] 这些 這些) dútè (dú·tè singular · special → [distinctive] 独特 獨特) xiànxiàng (xiàn·xiàng appearings · appearances → [phenomena] 现象 現象) chúncuì ({being pure} → [purely] 纯粹 純粹) shì (is 是) chūyú (chū·yú {having come out} · from 出于 出於) qiǎohé (qiǎo·hé coincidental · {closing → [suiting]} → [coincidence] 巧合), háishi (hái·shi {still more → [or]} · {is (it)} 还是 還是) chūyú (chū·yú {having come out} · from 出于 出於) Zàowù‐Zhǔ ((Zào·wù Created · Things 造物)‐(Zhǔ Master 主) → [Creator]) de (’s 的) jīngxīn (jīng·xīn {(with) meticulous} · heart 精心) shèjì (shè·jì {setting up} · planning → [design] 设计 設計) ne ([? ptcl] 呢)?”

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.