祉

Denotes divine favor or auspicious well-being, often used together with 福 (복, blessing) in compounds such as 福祉 “welfare, blessing, prosperity.”

Phono-semantic compound:

示 (보일 시) — semantic component, indicates relation to ritual, deity, or divine blessing.

止 (그칠 지) — phonetic component, provides the sound zhǐ / ji and implies stability or cessation — the state of being at peace.

Thus 示 + 止 → 祉 — “a blessing bestowed by the gods that brings rest or peace,” hence happiness, well-being.

In Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「祉，福也。从示，止聲。」

“祉 means blessing (福); composed of 示 and phonetic 止.”

Used frequently in modern Korean for public or social welfare (사회복지 社會福祉), preserving the original sense of divine well-being applied to collective human prosperity.

福祉 (복지) — blessing; well-being; welfare

祉福 (지복) — happiness and fortune; prosperity

安祉 (안지) — peaceful blessing; safety and happiness

慶祉 (경지) — joyful blessing; congratulatory fortune

Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典, vol. 1008):

「祉，福也。」

“祉 means blessing.”

In Classical usage, 祉 refers to visible or manifest happiness granted by Heaven.

Book of Documents (書經 · 洪範):

「五福，一曰壽，二曰富，三曰康寧，四曰攸好德，五曰考終命。此之謂福祉。」

“The Five Blessings: longevity, wealth, health, love of virtue, and peaceful death — these are called 福祉.”

Book of Odes (詩經 · 大雅 · 文王):

「天監在下，有命既集。文王受命，有此武祉。」

“Heaven watches below; the Mandate is complete. King Wen received it — and with it this martial blessing” — 祉 refers to Heaven-granted fortune or grace.

These texts reveal that 祉 was often linked with divine favor bestowed upon rulers or nations, representing Heaven’s benevolent protection.

In ancient Chinese ritual context, 祉 was considered the tangible outcome of divine favor, while 福 itself denoted the act of divine giving.

The compound 福祉 thus encompasses both the source (福) and the manifest result (祉) of blessing — a complete cycle of divine grace.

In modern East Asia, the word 福祉 is secularized to mean public welfare, though the spiritual nuance remains implicit in expressions such as 국민복지 (“national well-being”).

Over centuries, 祉 came to symbolize happiness, prosperity, and welfare, both divine and human.

In contemporary language, it endures in the word 福祉, linking the ancient concept of heavenly grace with modern ideals of human well-being and social harmony.