זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בְּרָאָ֑ם וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָ֗ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶת־שְׁמָם֙ אָדָ֔ם בְּיֹ֖ום הִבָּֽרְאָֽם׃ ס
神创造了男与女，赐福给他们，并称他们的名字为亚当，在他们被创造的那一天。
神创造了男与女，赐福给他们，并称他们的名字为亚当，在他们被创造的那一天。
Shén chuàngzào le nán yǔ nǚ, cìfú gěi tāmen, bìng chēng tāmen de míngzì wéi Yàdāng, zài tāmen bèi chuàngzào de nà yītiān.
And God created them male and female, blessed them, and called their name Adam on the day they were created.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 神 | Shén | God | Noun |
| 创造 | chuàngzào | Create | Verb |
| 了 | le | Particle indicating completed action | Particle |
| 男 | nán | Male | Noun |
| 与 | yǔ | And | Conjunction |
| 女 | nǚ | Female | Noun |
| 赐福 | cìfú | Bless | Verb |
| 给 | gěi | To give | Verb |
| 他们 | tāmen | Them | Pronoun |
| 并 | bìng | And | Conjunction |
| 称 | chēng | To call | Verb |
| 名字 | míngzì | Name | Noun |
| 为 | wéi | As | Preposition |
| 亚当 | Yàdāng | Adam | Proper noun |
| 在 | zài | At | Preposition |
| 被 | bèi | Passive marker | Particle |
| 创造 | chuàngzào | Create | Verb |
| 那一天 | nà yītiān | That day | Noun phrase |
2. Grammar Explanation
- 神 (Shén): Refers to God, the Creator, who is the subject of the sentence.
- 创造 (chuàngzào): The main verb meaning “to create,” describing God’s act of creating humans.
- 了 (le): A particle indicating that the action of creation was completed.
- 赐福 (cìfú): Means “to bless,” showing that God’s creation of humans included a blessing.
- 名字 (míngzì): Refers to “name,” specifically the name “Adam” given to humanity as a collective term.
3. Pronunciation Practice
- 神 (Shén): Pronounced with a rising tone, representing “God.”
- 赐福 (cìfú): “Cì” has a falling tone, and “fú” has a rising tone. Together, it means “to bless.”
- 亚当 (Yàdāng): “Yà” has a falling tone, and “dāng” has a high-level tone, representing the name “Adam.”
- 创造 (chuàngzào): Both syllables have falling tones, meaning “to create.”
4. Character Learning
- 神 (Shén): The central character for “God,” symbolizing the Creator in this context.
- 亚当 (Yàdāng): Represents Adam, the first human, emphasizing his role in biblical creation.
- 赐福 (cìfú): Blessing, which highlights God’s generosity toward humanity.
5. Cultural Insights
- Creation and Blessing: In many cultures, the act of creation is tied to blessings. Here, the Bible emphasizes that humanity was created intentionally and blessed, reflecting their special role in the world.
- Human Dignity: The name “Adam” represents humanity, showing equality between male and female and their shared responsibility.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 神 (Shén): Remember “Shén” as the Creator, central to the story of human origins.
- 亚当 (Yàdāng): Think of Adam as humanity, the collective representation of male and female.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew: The Hebrew phrase “זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בְּרָאָ֑ם” directly parallels the Chinese translation “男与女，他创造了他们,” emphasizing the equal creation of male and female.
- Comparison with Chinese: Both Chinese and Hebrew emphasize humanity’s blessing and shared identity under the name “Adam.”
8. Application
This verse underscores the unity and equality of humanity, created as male and female in God’s image. It invites reflection on our shared identity and purpose as human beings, blessed and given responsibility to live in harmony with God’s creation.
