祈祷

• Pinyin: qí dǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 祈 = 礻(spirit/altar radical) + 斤 (axe, phonetic); 祷 = 礻(spirit/altar radical) + 寿 (longevity, phonetic)

Meaning

To pray; to offer prayers. Communicating earnest wishes or requests to a deity or higher power.

Used across religious traditions including Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Also used in a secular extended sense of hoping deeply or wishing fervently. Carries a sense of reverence and sincerity.

Examples

1. 每天清晨，她都会在教堂里虔诚地跪地祈祷。 Every morning, she kneels in the church and prays with deep devotion.
2. 手术前，家属在走廊上默默祈祷，希望一切能够顺利。 Before the surgery, the family members prayed silently in the hallway, hoping everything would go smoothly.
3. 他双手合十，在佛像前祈祷家人平安健康、生活幸福。 With his hands clasped, he prayed before the Buddha statue for his family’s safety and health and for a happy life.

Usage Guide

Context: religion, spirituality, emotion

Tone: reverent

Do Say

• 她在医院走廊上静静祈祷，祈求手术能够圆满成功。(She prayed quietly in the hospital corridor, asking for the surgery to be a complete success.)
• 信众在节日期间聚集寺庙，共同祈祷国泰民安、风调雨顺。(Worshippers gathered at the temple during the festival to pray together for national peace and good harvests.)

Don't Say

• 我祈祷明天天气好 — use 希望/但愿 in casual everyday speech; 祈祷 carries religious weight and sounds overly solemn for trivial wishes

Origin & History

祈 (pray/entreat) + 祷 (pray/worship) — both characters relate to spiritual entreaty

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal