福 is the character for “luck”. It is made out of 13 strokes.
| Chinese Character | Simplified Version | Bopomofo | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 福 | 福 | ㄈㄨˊ | Fú |
Definition
Luck; good fortune; happiness
Historical Origins
The overall shape of the character 福 hasn’t evolved much from its earliest bronze script form. It is a phono-semantic character, with the semantic element 礻(示) meaning “to show; to reveal”, and the phonetic element 畐 pronounced “ㄈㄨˊ – Fú”.
The Chinese character “fu” meaning ‘fortune’ or ‘good luck’ is commonly represented as both a Chinese ideograph and a pictorial symbol, especially on figurines of the male god Fu. This tradition is associated with Chinese New Year and can be found on entrances of Chinese homes worldwide. The character is often displayed upside-down, as it sounds similar to ‘good luck arrives’ in Chinese, symbolizing a wish for prosperity. Another story attributes the upside-down tradition to a practical joke in a Qing Dynasty prince’s household. Bats, symbolizing good fortune, are also widely used in Chinese symbolism and are connected to the meaning of “fu.” The character is utilized in various forms such as calligraphy, seals, paper crafts, and ceramics to convey a desire for expansive and multifaceted good luck.
Vocabulary with the Character 福
| Chinese | Bopomofo | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 幸福 | ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄈㄨˊ | xìngfú | Happiness |
| 福氣 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄑㄧˋ | fúqì | Good fortune |
| 福利 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄌㄧˋ | fúlì | Welfare, benefits |
| 福祉 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄓˇ | fúzhǐ | Blessings |
| 福報 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄅㄠˋ | fúbào | Fortunate destiny |
| 福慧 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄏㄨㄟˋ | fúhuì | Blessings and wisdom |
| 福運 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄩㄣˋ | fúyùn | Good luck |
| 福地 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄉㄧˋ | fúdì | Auspicious land |
| 福星 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄒㄧㄥ | fúxīng | Lucky star |
| 福音 | ㄈㄨˊ ㄧㄣ | fúyīn | Gospel, good news |
Bubble Tea Island 