福
fú · blessing / good fortune💡 How to pronounce
f → like the 'f' in 'food'. ú → like 'oo' in 'moon' but with a rising tone — it goes up like a question.
📖 The Story
福 is one of the most loved characters in Chinese culture. Its ancient form shows a person holding a wine vessel — offering a drink to the gods for blessing. It means happiness, good luck, and prosperity.
🎬 In Culture Today
During Spring Festival, people hang 福 characters upside down on their doors. Why? Because 'upside-down' (倒 dào) sounds like 'arrive' (到 dào) — it's a wordplay meaning 'blessings have arrived.'
📚 Words
📝 Example Sentences
祝你幸福。
Wishing you happiness.
过年的时候我们贴福字。
We paste '福' characters during the New Year.