贺卡

The Chinese word 贺卡 (hèkǎ) for "greeting card" is a compound of two characters: 贺 (hè), meaning "to congratulate" or "to celebrate," and 卡 (kǎ), meaning "card." The word 贺卡 is used to refer to any type of card that is sent to someone to express congratulations or well wishes, such as a birthday card, a holiday card, or a thank-you card.The character 贺 (hè) has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE). It was originally used as a pictograph of a person holding a wine cup, which was a symbol of celebration. Over time, the character evolved to take on its current form and meaning.The character 卡 (kǎ) is a relatively new addition to the Chinese language, having been borrowed from the English word "card" in the 19th century. It is now used to refer to any type of thin, rectangular piece of material, such as a playing card, a business card, or a credit card.The combination of the characters 贺 (hè) and 卡 (kǎ) to form the word 贺卡 (hèkǎ) is a natural and intuitive way to express the concept of a "greeting card." The word is widely used in both spoken and written Chinese, and it is easily understood by people of all ages and backgrounds.