One Chinese character, one world ④
Is there a little pig hidden in the Chinese character '家'? Let's join our Russian friend Lada and find out!
一字一世界④丨汉字“家”中藏了只小猪？跟着俄罗斯朋友拉达一起去找找！
Lada, a Russian friend learning Chinese in Henan, recently shared her fondness for the Chinese character "家" (jia), which means "home" or "family." She finds this character particularly interesting because of its unique structure and the way its components come together.
来自俄罗斯的朋友拉达正在河南学习汉语，她最近分享了自己对汉字“家”的喜爱。她认为这个字特别有趣，尤其是它的字形和组成方式。
She shared that the upper part of the character "家" resembles a roof, symbolizing a place that provides shelter and protection, while the bottom part is "豕" (pig), which in ancient times symbolized a prosperous family, as those who raised pigs typically had better living conditions. Together, these two elements form the character "家"—a place that offers both shelter and comfort.
她分享道，“家”字上面的部分像屋顶，象征着能够给人遮风挡雨的地方，而下面的部分则是“豕”，代表猪。在古代，养猪的家庭通常生活条件较好，象征着生活富足。两者结合，构成了一个完整的“家”字——一个既能遮风挡雨，又安稳舒适的地方。
In addition, Lada also mentioned the saying "家和万事兴" (A harmonious family brings prosperity in all things), which reflects the Chinese emphasis on family harmony. In Chinese culture, family harmony is seen as the foundation for the development of individuals, society, and even the country. Only when every family is happy and harmonious can society be stable and the country prosper. Lada also expressed that she agrees with this viewpoint, believing that family plays an extremely important role in life.
此外，拉达还提到，“家和万事兴”这句俗语体现了中国人对家庭和谐的重视。在中国文化中，家庭和谐被视为个人、社会甚至国家发展的基础。只有每个家庭都幸福、和睦，社会才能稳定，国家才能繁荣。拉达也表示，她很认同这种观点，认为家庭在生活中扮演着极其重要的角色。