וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ שָׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר יֹ֥ום שֵׁנִֽי׃ פ
神稱穹蒼為天。有晚上，有早晨，這是第二日。
神称穹苍为天。有晚上，有早晨，这是第二日。
Shén chēng qióngcāng wéi tiān. Yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén, zhè shì dì èr rì.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 神 | shén | God | Subject noun |
| 稱 / 称 | chēng | Call, name | Verb |
| 穹蒼 / 穹苍 | qióngcāng | Firmament, sky | Noun |
| 為 / 为 | wéi | As, to be | Preposition |
| 天 | tiān | Heaven, sky | Noun |
| 有 | yǒu | There is, have | Verb |
| 晚上 | wǎn shàng | Evening | Noun |
| 早晨 | zǎo chén | Morning | Noun |
| 這是 / 这是 | zhè shì | This is | Phrase |
| 第二日 | dì èr rì | Second day | Phrase |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 神稱穹蒼為天 (shén chēng qióngcāng wéi tiān): Subject-verb-object structure, with 為 / 为 (wéi) indicating “as.”
- 有晚上，有早晨 (yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén): Indicates the existence of evening and morning.
- 這是第二日 (zhè shì dì èr rì): Declares the completion of the second day.
Key Grammar Points:
- 稱 / 称 (chēng): Used to describe naming or calling something.
- 為 / 为 (wéi): Links the object being named to its designation, similar to “as” in English.
- 有 (yǒu): Indicates existence (“there was”).
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Shén chēng qióngcāng wéi tiān. Yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén, zhè shì dì èr rì.
Tone Practice:
- 神 (shén): 2nd tone (rising)
- 稱 / 称 (chēng): 1st tone (high)
- 穹蒼 / 穹苍 (qióngcāng): 2nd tone (rising) + 1st tone (high)
- 天 (tiān): 1st tone (high)
- 晚上 (wǎn shàng): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 4th tone (falling)
- 第二日 (dì èr rì): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 穹蒼 / 穹苍 (qióngcāng): Represents the firmament, a central element in creation.
- 天 (tiān): Means “heaven” or “sky,” frequently used in Chinese to refer to divine realms.
- 第二日 (dì èr rì): Indicates the sequential day in creation, with 第 marking the ordinal number.
5. Cultural Insights
- Naming the Firmament: In both Hebrew and Chinese cultures, assigning names reflects authority and order over creation.
- 天 (tiān): The word “heaven” often carries spiritual significance in Chinese, aligning with the biblical concept of the heavens.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 穹蒼 / 穹苍 (qióngcāng): Picture a vast dome-like sky representing the firmament.
- 天 (tiān): Visualize a bright, open sky to recall its meaning.
- 第二日 (dì èr rì): Imagine the sequential progression of days in the creation narrative.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ שָׁמָ֑יִם (Vayikra Elohim Laraki’a Shamayim): → 神稱穹蒼為天 (shén chēng qióngcāng wéi tiān): Both describe naming the firmament as heaven.
- וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר (Vayehi Erev Vayehi Boker): → 有晚上，有早晨 (yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén): Both narrate the evening-morning sequence.
- יֹ֥ום שֵׁנִֽי (Yom Sheni): → 第二日 (dì èr rì): Both express the second day of creation.
- Comparison with English:
- The phrase “And God called the firmament Heaven” aligns closely with the Chinese 神稱穹蒼為天 (shén chēng qióngcāng wéi tiān): Both emphasize the act of naming and the significance of the firmament.
- Both English and Chinese translations describe the evening and morning sequence as a marker of a completed day, with “And there was evening and there was morning” rendered as 有晚上，有早晨 (yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén).
- The English term “the second day” corresponds directly to the Chinese 第二日 (dì èr rì): Both highlight the sequential order of creation.
