{"id":6243,"date":"2025-03-18T23:50:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T06:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/troubadourworks.com\/tiandi\/meotw\/?p=6243"},"modified":"2025-07-16T13:54:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T20:54:51","slug":"xingqiu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/troubadourworks.com\/tiandi\/meotw\/2025\/03\/18\/xingqiu\/","title":{"rendered":"x\u012bngqi\u00fa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n\t\t\tx\u012bngqi\u00fa<\/span>\n\t\t\t(x\u012bng\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\t{star \u2192 [heavenly body]} \u00b7 globe; sphere; ball \u2192<\/span> [celestial\/heavenly body]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u661f\u7403)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t \ud83d\udc48\ud83c\udffc Tap\/click to show\/hide the \u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>\n<\/h3>\n\n

[Notes:<\/strong> Tap\/click on a P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> expression to reveal its <\/span>\u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>; tap\/click on a <\/span>\u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span> or its P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> expression to hide the<\/span> \u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>. \ud83d\udcd6<\/span> \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> \ud83d\udcd8 icons mean \ud83d\udcd6<\/span> Reveal All<\/strong>, \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> Reveal Advanced<\/strong>, and \ud83d\udcd8 Reveal None<\/strong> re all the \u201cflashcards\u201d<\/span> in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]<\/p>\n

One of the publications that is now recommended to be used on Bible studies is the \n\t\t\tY\u01d2ngyu\u01cen Xi\u01cengsh\u00f2u M\u011bih\u01ceo de Sh\u0113ngm\u00ecng\u2014H\u00f9d\u00f2ng Sh\u00ec Sh\u00e8ngj\u012bng K\u00e8ch\u00e9ng<\/span>\n\t\t\t((Y\u01d2ng\u00b7yu\u01cen\n\t\t\tEternally \u00b7 {Far (in Time)}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6c38\u8fdc\n\t\t\t\u6c38\u9060<\/span>)\n\t\t\t(Xi\u01ceng\u00b7sh\u00f2u\n\t\t\tEnjoy \u00b7 Receive<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u4eab\u53d7)\n\t\t\t(M\u011bi\u00b7h\u01ceo\n\t\t\tBeautiful \u00b7 Good<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u7f8e\u597d)\n\t\t\t(de\n\t\t\t\u2019s<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u7684)\n\t\t\t(Sh\u0113ngm\u00ecng\n\t\t\tLife<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u751f\u547d)\u2014(H\u00f9\u00b7d\u00f2ng\n\t\t\t{Each Other} \u00b7 Moving \u2192 [Interactive]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u4e92\u52a8\n\t\t\t\u4e92\u52d5<\/span>)\n\t\t\t(Sh\u00ec\n\t\t\t(Type<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5f0f)\n\t\t\t(Sh\u00e8ng\u00b7j\u012bng\n\t\t\tHoly \u00b7 Scriptures \u2192 [Bible]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5723\u7ecf\n\t\t\t\u8056\u7d93<\/span>)\n\t\t\t(K\u00e8\u00b7ch\u00e9ng\n\t\t\tLessons \u00b7 Procedure \u2192 [Course]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u8bfe\u7a0b\n\t\t\t\u8ab2\u7a0b<\/span>)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [Enjoy Life Forever!\u2014An Interactive Bible Course (lff)]<\/span>)<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/i> (Enjoy Life Forever! (lff)<\/i>) book. This week\u2019s MEotW, \u201cx\u012bngqi\u00fa<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(x\u012bng\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\t{star \u2192 [heavenly body]} \u00b7 globe; sphere; ball \u2192<\/span> [celestial\/heavenly body]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u661f\u7403)<\/span>\u201d,<\/i> appears in lesson 6, point 2 of this book:<\/p>\n

English<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n[The earth] is the only known planet<\/strong> that can sustain human life.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mandarin (WOL<\/a>, P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> Plus<\/a>):<\/p>\n

\n\n\t\t\t\ud83d\udcd6<\/span> \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> \ud83d\udcd8<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tCh\u00fale<\/span>\n\t\t\t(Ch\u00fa\u00b7le\n\t\t\t{eliminating \u2192<\/span> [besides]}<\/span> \u00b7 {to completion}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u9664\u4e86)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\td\u00ecqi\u00fa<\/span>\n\t\t\t(d\u00ec\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\tearth \u00b7 globe<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5730\u7403)<\/span>,\n\n\t\t\tm\u00f9qi\u00e1n<\/span>\n\t\t\t(m\u00f9\u00b7qi\u00e1n\n\t\t\teyes \u00b7 before \u2192<\/span> [at present]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u76ee\u524d)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\th\u00e1i<\/span>\n\t\t\t((there) still<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u8fd8\n\t\t\t\u9084<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tm\u00e9iy\u01d2u<\/span>\n\t\t\t(m\u00e9i\u00b7y\u01d2u\n\t\t\tnot \u00b7 {has had \u2192 [has been]} \u2192<\/span> [has not been]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6ca1\u6709\n\t\t\t\u6c92\u6709<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tf\u0101xi\u00e0n<\/span>\n\t\t\t(f\u0101\u00b7xi\u00e0n\n\t\t\t{sent out \u2192 [developed]} \u00b7 {appearing of} \u2192<\/span> [discovered]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u53d1\u73b0\/\u89c1\n\t\t\t\u767c\u73fe\/\u898b<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tbi\u00e9de<\/span>\n\t\t\t(bi\u00e9\u00b7de\n\t\t\tother \u00b7 \u2019s<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u522b\u7684\n\t\t\t\u5225\u7684<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tx\u012bngqi\u00fa<\/span>\n\t\t\t(x\u012bng\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\t{star \u2192 [heavenly body]} \u00b7 globe \u2192<\/span> [celestial body]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u661f\u7403)<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/strong>\n\n\t\t\tsh\u00ech\u00e9<\/span>\n\t\t\t(sh\u00ec\u00b7h\u00e9\n\t\t\t{suitable for} \u00b7 {closing with \u2192<\/span> [fitting with]}<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\u9002\u5408\n\t\t\t\u9069\u5408<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tr\u00e9nl\u00e8i<\/span>\n\t\t\t(r\u00e9n\u00b7l\u00e8i\n\t\t\thuman\u00b7kind\u2019s<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u4eba\u7c7b\n\t\t\t\u4eba\u985e<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tsh\u0113ngc\u00fan<\/span>\n\t\t\t(sh\u0113ng\u00b7c\u00fan\n\t\t\tliving \u00b7 surviving<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u751f\u5b58)<\/span>.\n\n\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The above-quoted Mandarin sentence is noteworthy in that it was worded differently before, and was revised into the form quoted above for the current 2024-07 Printing of the Mandarin version of the Enjoy Life Forever!<\/i> book.<\/p>\n

\"Earthrise<\/p>\n

Earthrise<\/a><\/i>
\nThis iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon.<\/p>\n

Morphemic Breakdown<\/h4>\n

The first morpheme<\/a> in this week\u2019s MEotW, \u201cx\u012bng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(star [\u2192 [heavenly body | bit; particle]]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u661f)<\/span>\u201d,<\/i> literally means \u201cstar\u201d, but in some contexts it can effectively mean \u201cheavenly body\u201d. (I suspect that in the past, this expression was used to refer to any and all of the points of light visible in the night sky, most of which are what we now call stars. Over time, though, scientists figured out that some of those points of light are technically not what they would call stars, but rather, planets, moons, etc. So, it could be that this revised understanding led to the effective meaning of \u201cx\u012bng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(star [\u2192 [heavenly body | bit; particle]]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u661f)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> to be revised from always being \u201cstar\u201d to being the more general \u201cheavenly body\u201d in some settings.)<\/p>\n

The next morpheme, \u201cqi\u00fa<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t({ball (or anything shaped like a ball)}; sphere; globe<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u7403)<\/span>\u201d,<\/i> means \u201cball (or anything shaped like a ball); sphere; globe\u201d. Besides appearing in \u201cqi\u00fas\u00e0i<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(qi\u00fa\u00b7s\u00e0i\n\t\t\tball \u00b7 game; competition; match<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u7403\u8d5b\n\t\t\t\u7403\u8cfd<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> (\u201cball game\u201d), it also appears in \u201cd\u00ecqi\u00fa<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(d\u00ec\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\tearth \u00b7 globe<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5730\u7403)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> (\u201cthe earth\u201d), which also appears in the quote above.<\/p>\n

Taken together, the constituent morphemes in \u201cx\u012bngqi\u00fa<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(x\u012bng\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\t{star \u2192 [heavenly body]} \u00b7 globe; sphere; ball \u2192<\/span> [celestial\/heavenly body]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u661f\u7403)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> effectively mean \u201ccelestial\/heavenly body\u201d, most of which are at least roughly ball-shaped.<\/p>\n

A Mandarin expression used to directly, specifically translate \u201cplanet\u201d is \u201cx\u00edngx\u012bng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(x\u00edng\u00b7x\u012bng\n\t\t\ttravelling \u00b7 {star \u2192 [heavenly body]} \u2192<\/span> [planet]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u884c\u661f)<\/span>\u201d.<\/i> \u201cX\u012bng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(star [\u2192 [heavenly body | bit; particle]]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u661f)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> is used in the names of specific planets. For example, \u201cHu\u01d2\u2010X\u012bng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t((Hu\u01d2\n\t\t\tFire<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u706b)\u2010(X\u012bng\n\t\t\tStar \u2192 [Heavenly Body]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u661f)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [Mars]<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> is \u201cMars\u201d in Mandarin.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpace: the Final Frontier\u2026<\/a>\u201d<\/h4>\n

These days, many, including some serving in the Mandarin field, are fans of science fiction stories like those of Star Trek,<\/i> Star Wars,<\/i> etc. A common feature of such stories is the idea that humans will eventually travel to and live on other planets besides the earth. What has God\u2019s organization said about this? Here are a couple of<\/a> paragraphs<\/a> that I found that comment on this idea, from the article \u201cSpace Exploration\u2014What Does the Future Hold?\u201d, in the September 8, 1992 issue of Awake!<\/i> magazine:<\/p>\n

\nWhat can be said from a Biblical viewpoint? True, man was told by God to \u2018multiply and fill the earth.\u2019 (Genesis 1:28<\/a>) At the same time, he was given intelligence and an insatiable desire to know more about his context, including the biosphere, the stratosphere, and beyond. That context includes our tiny solar system and the stars beyond. Thus, King David was inspired to write some three thousand years ago: \u201cWhen I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have prepared, what is mortal man that you keep him in mind, and the son of earthling man that you take care of him?\u201d\u2014Psalm 8:3, 4<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2026<\/p>\n

The Bible shows that Jehovah God, earth\u2019s Maker and Landlord, will soon take action against this planet\u2019s unruly and unrulable tenants. Only the truly meek will be left to inherit the earth. Then only will we get to see what further purposes God has in mind for an obedient human family.\u2014Psalm 37:11<\/a>, 29<\/a>; Revelation 11:18<\/a>; 16:14-16<\/a>.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Also interesting is this paragraph<\/a> that I found, from the Awake!<\/i> article \u201cIs There Life Beyond the Earth?\u201d, from way back in 1973:<\/p>\n

\nBut what about the other planets? Were they put in space and into orbit for no reason at all? No, we cannot conclude that. All that God does has meaning and purpose. Obviously the Creator Jehovah God has a purpose for these planets, including the planets in our own solar system. In time, he may well reveal that purpose to obedient mankind. We should not be so shortsighted as to think that the earth is the center of the universe.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cCalling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft<\/a>\u201d<\/h4>\n

Many people today, including some Mandarin-speaking people whom we may meet in the ministry, are also fascinated by the idea that intelligent beings from other planets are visiting the earth in spacecraft that appear to people as unidentified flying objects (UFOs), unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), etc. Jehovah\u2019s organization has warned us about what may be behind such phenomena. For example, the article \u201cUFO\u2019s\u2014Messengers From God?\u201d, in the July 8, 1996 issue of Awake!<\/i> magazine, said<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\nInstead of assisting mankind to survive, stories about \u2018nonhuman beings\u2019 divert people\u2019s attention away from what God actually requires for their everlasting welfare.<\/p>\n

Who may try to steer mankind away from God\u2019s means of survival, yet claim to represent God? Ed Conroy, in his book Report on Communion,<\/i> states that \u201cserious ufologists [those who study UFO\u2019s] with training in the psychological and social sciences\u201d include comparative studies of \u201c\u2018bedroom visitors,\u2019 ghosts, poltergeists, apparitions, religious visions, and what have been regarded as demons.\u201d Many ufologists and those who claim to be extraterrestrials in human form state that using spaceships to travel is mostly unnecessary. They say that these beings can travel invisibly and materialize anywhere on earth without arriving in spacecraft.<\/p>\n

The Bible warns that Satan and his demons are intent on misleading mankind. They take advantage of mankind\u2019s despair and hopelessness to offer attractive, but false, solutions. (2 Corinthians 11:14<\/a>) Hence, the Bible warning: \u201cIn later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons.\u201d\u20141 Timothy 4:1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In like manner today, any supposed visits and seemingly beneficial guidance from such beings should be rejected, whatever form they may take. Those who would rather follow the advice of \u201cextraterrestrials\u201d than God\u2019s Word are bound to be misled\u2014a terrible mistake to make in these critical times.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Only Possible Real Way to the Stars<\/h4>\n

In the Mandarin field, we have the privilege of helping Mandarin-speaking people to not be misled by the misinformation from Satan and the demons, but rather, to come to know and draw close to the true God Jehovah. Jehovah created all the stars, planets, and other celestial bodies in the universe, and, as mentioned above, he may in good time tell us more about his purpose for them. The only way to find out for sure about that is to do God\u2019s will now, and make it into the new system that he will bring to the earth, this pale blue dot<\/a> that we are now living on, and that is still the only celestial body we know of that can sustain human life.\u20141 John 2:17<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Pale<\/p>\n

Pale Blue Dot<\/a><\/i>
\nThis narrow-angle color image of the Earth, taken from a distance of more than 4 billion miles (6.4 billion km) from Earth, is a part of the first ever \u201cportrait\u201d of the solar system taken by the Voyager 1<\/a> space probe. (Earth is the blueish-white speck almost halfway up the rightmost band of light.)<\/p>\n

\n

For convenience:<\/p>\n

The direct link for the P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> Plus resource for the Enjoy Life Forever!<\/i> book is:<\/p>\n