祝 (zhù), meaning “to wish” or “to pray,” has a structure that reflects ancient religious practices and the act of communicating with spirits or deities.

Here’s a breakdown of its components:

• 礻 (shì): This radical, also seen in characters like 礼 (禮 – lǐ – ritual) and 神 (shén – god), represents “spirit” or “altar.” It indicates that the character is related to religious practices or offerings to spirits.
• 兄 (xiōng): This component means “elder brother.” In this context, it’s believed to primarily serve as a phonetic component, providing a sound hint similar to the ancient word for “to pray” or “to wish.”

Combining these elements, the original meaning of 祝 likely depicted the act of “praying or making offerings to spirits at an altar.” This emphasizes the religious and ceremonial aspect of wishing or praying for something.

Over time, the meaning of 祝 expanded to include more general expressions of goodwill:

• To wish: This refers to expressing hope or desire for something to happen, often on special occasions like birthdays or holidays.
• To pray: This implies a more formal or religious act of seeking blessings or favor from a higher power.
• To congratulate: This meaning extends the idea of wishing someone well to include expressing joy or approval for their achievements.

The character 祝 is used in various contexts related to wishes and blessings:

• 祝福 (zhùfú): To bless, to wish well
• 庆祝 (qìngzhù): To celebrate
• 祝贺 (zhùhè): To congratulate

The evolution of 祝 from a depiction of religious offerings to a character representing various forms of wishing and congratulating demonstrates the enduring human desire to express goodwill and seek blessings for oneself and others.