בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
在起初，神創造了天和地。
在起初，神创造了天和地。
Zài qǐ chū, shén chuàng zào le tiān hé dì.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 在 | zài | In, at | Preposition |
| 起初 | qǐ chū | Beginning, start | Noun phrase |
| 神 | shén | God, deity | Subject noun |
| 创造 / 創造 | chuàng zào | Create, to make | Verb |
| 了 | le | (Past tense marker) | Particle |
| 天 | tiān | Heaven, sky | Noun |
| 和 | hé | And | Conjunction |
| 地 | dì | Earth, land | Noun |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 在起初 (zài qǐ chū): Temporal phrase meaning “in the beginning.” The preposition 在 (zài) introduces the time.
- 神创造了 (shén chuàng zào le): Subject-verb-object (SVO) structure. The particle 了 (le) indicates the completion of action.
- 天和地 (tiān hé dì): Compound object (“heaven and earth”) joined by the conjunction 和 (hé).
Tense Indication: 了 (le) marks completed actions in 创造了 (chuàng zào le).
Conjunction Usage: 和 (hé) connects two related nouns, equivalent to “and” in English and וְ (ve) in Hebrew.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Zài qǐ chū, shén chuàng zào le tiān hé dì.
Tone Practice:
- 在 (zài): 4th tone (falling)
- 起 (qǐ): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 初 (chū): 1st tone (high)
- 神 (shén): 2nd tone (rising)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 在 (zài): Means “in” or “at.”
- 神 (shén): Represents “God” or “deity.”
- 天 (tiān): A pictograph of the sky.
- 地 (dì): Uses the radical 土, meaning “earth” or “soil.”
Simplified vs. Traditional:
- 创造 (chuàng zào) in Simplified → 創造 (chuàng zào) in Traditional.
- No other differences in this verse.
5. Cultural Insights
- 神 (shén): Reflects a broad concept of deity in Chinese culture, here adapted for the monotheistic God of the Bible.
- 天 (tiān): Often represents heaven or the divine in traditional Chinese thought, similar to its biblical meaning.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 在起初 (zài qǐ chū): Imagine the first tick of a clock starting time—在 sets the time, and 起初 represents the start.
- 神 (shén): Visualize divine light emanating from heaven (示 radical).
- 创造 (chuàng zào): Picture an artist creating a masterpiece (create + make).
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית (Bereishit) → 在起初 (Zài qǐ chū): Both mean “in the beginning.”
- אֱלֹהִ֑ים (Elohim) → 神 (Shén): Both refer to God.
- בָּרָ֣א (Bara) → 创造 (Chuàng zào): Both mean “to create.”
- Comparison with English: The Chinese and Hebrew structures match closely with English (SVO order). Chinese uses particles like 了 (le) to mark tense rather than verb conjugations.
