וַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֣ה הָֽרֹמֶ֡שֶׂת אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁרְצ֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם לְמִֽינֵהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־עֹ֤וף כָּנָף֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֹֽוב׃
神創造了大魚和水中滋生的各種有生命的群物，還有各種有翅膀的飛鳥。神看這是好的。
神创造了大鱼和水中滋生的各种有生命的群物，还有各种有翅膀的飞鸟。神看这是好的。
Shén chuàng zào le dà yú hé shuǐ zhōng zī shēng de gè zhǒng yǒu shēng mìng de qún wù, hái yǒu gè zhǒng yǒu chì bǎng de fēi niǎo. Shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de.
And God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 神 | shén | God | Subject noun |
| 創造 / 创造 | chuàng zào | Create | Verb |
| 大魚 / 大鱼 | dà yú | Great fish | Noun |
| 水中 | shuǐ zhōng | In the water | Prepositional phrase |
| 滋生 | zī shēng | Swarm, multiply | Verb |
| 各種 / 各种 | gè zhǒng | All kinds | Noun phrase |
| 有生命 | yǒu shēng mìng | Living, having life | Adjective phrase |
| 群物 | qún wù | Swarms, creatures | Noun |
| 還有 / 还有 | hái yǒu | And also | Conjunction |
| 有翅膀 | yǒu chì bǎng | Winged | Adjective phrase |
| 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 | fēi niǎo | Flying birds | Noun |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 神創造了大魚和水中滋生的各種有生命的群物 (shén chuàng zào le dà yú hé shuǐ zhōng zī shēng de gè zhǒng yǒu shēng mìng de qún wù): Describes God creating the great sea creatures and other living creatures in the waters.
- 還有各種有翅膀的飛鳥 (hái yǒu gè zhǒng yǒu chì bǎng de fēi niǎo): Adds the creation of winged birds.
- 神看這是好的 (shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de): Declares God’s approval of the creation.
Key Grammar Points:
- 創造 / 创造 (chuàng zào): Indicates the act of creation, central to the passage.
- 各種 / 各种 (gè zhǒng): Means “all kinds” or “varieties,” emphasizing diversity.
- 還有 / 还有 (hái yǒu): Introduces an additional element, equivalent to “and also.”
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Shén chuàng zào le dà yú hé shuǐ zhōng zī shēng de gè zhǒng yǒu shēng mìng de qún wù, hái yǒu gè zhǒng yǒu chì bǎng de fēi niǎo. Shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de.
Tone Practice:
- 創造 / 创造 (chuàng zào): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
- 大魚 / 大鱼 (dà yú): 4th tone (falling) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 水中 (shuǐ zhōng): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 1st tone (high)
- 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 (fēi niǎo): 1st tone (high) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 創造 / 创造 (chuàng zào): Represents the act of creation, emphasizing God’s role as Creator.
- 大魚 / 大鱼 (dà yú): Refers to the great sea creatures, symbolizing the diversity of life.
- 水中 (shuǐ zhōng): Means “in the water,” indicating the habitat of the creatures.
- 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 (fēi niǎo): Refers to winged birds, highlighting life in the skies.
- 有生命 (yǒu shēng mìng): Refers to living creatures, emphasizing their vitality and uniqueness.
- 群物 (qún wù): Means “swarms” or “groups of creatures,” highlighting the abundance of life.
- 有翅膀 (yǒu chì bǎng): Describes creatures with wings, referring specifically to birds.
5. Cultural Insights
- Sea Creatures in Creation: The mention of 大魚 / 大鱼 (dà yú): resonates with ancient Chinese reverence for water as a source of life, where large fish often symbolize power and abundance.
- Diversity of Life: The emphasis on 各種 / 各种 (gè zhǒng): aligns with both Hebrew and Chinese cultural appreciation for the variety and harmony of creation.
- Birds as Messengers: Birds, or 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 (fēi niǎo): are often seen as symbolic messengers between heaven and earth in Chinese tradition, much like their symbolic importance in Hebrew culture.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 創造 / 创造 (chuàng zào): Imagine God carefully crafting the creatures of the sea and sky, bringing diversity into existence.
- 大魚 / 大鱼 (dà yú): Picture enormous sea creatures swimming gracefully, symbolizing the power of the oceans.
- 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 (fēi niǎo): Envision flocks of birds soaring in the sky, filling it with life and movement.
- 群物 (qún wù): Think of schools of fish or swarms of creatures moving together in harmony.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֔ים (Vayivra Elohim): → 神創造 / 神创造 (shén chuàng zào): Both describe God’s act of creating life.
- אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים (Et HaTaninim HaGedolim): → 大魚 / 大鱼 (dà yú): Both refer to the creation of great sea creatures.
- שָׁרְצ֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם (Shartzu HaMayim): → 水中滋生 (shuǐ zhōng zī shēng): Both depict the waters teeming with life.
- וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־עֹ֤וף כָּנָף֙ (Ve’et Kol Of Kanaf): → 各種有翅膀的飛鳥 / 各种有翅膀的飞鸟 (gè zhǒng yǒu chì bǎng de fēi niǎo): Both describe the creation of winged birds.
- וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֹֽוב (Vayar Elohim Ki Tov): → 神看這是好的 / 神看这是好的 (shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de): Both express God’s approval of the creation.
- Comparison with English:
- The phrase “And God created the great sea creatures” aligns with 神創造了大魚 / 神创造了大鱼 (shén chuàng zào le dà yú): Both emphasize the creation of powerful sea creatures.
- “And every living creature that moves” corresponds to 水中滋生的各種有生命的群物 / 水中滋生的各种有生命的群物 (shuǐ zhōng zī shēng de gè zhǒng yǒu shēng mìng de qún wù): Both depict the teeming waters full of life.
- “And every winged bird according to its kind” parallels 各種有翅膀的飛鳥 / 各种有翅膀的飞鸟 (gè zhǒng yǒu chì bǎng de fēi niǎo): Both highlight the variety of bird species.
- “And God saw that it was good” corresponds to 神看這是好的 / 神看这是好的 (shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de): Both affirm divine approval of creation.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Harmony in Creation: The diversity of sea creatures and birds mirrors the Chinese principle of harmony in nature, where all life is interconnected and balanced.
- Birds as Connectors: In Chinese thought, birds often symbolize a connection between heaven and earth, much like their role in Hebrew culture.
- Water as Life: The image of waters swarming with life aligns with the Chinese reverence for water as a source of vitality and renewal.
