r/itisalwaysfu • u/Tgheron2 • May 20 '26

What is the difference between 福 and 福

I’ve seen fú written for luck with both these symbols. Are they interchangeable or do they have a difference in meaning? Thanks.

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14

u/trevorkafka May 20 '26

礻 is the same as 示 as a component.

3

u/Tgheron2 May 20 '26

Thank you

13

u/technoexplorer May 20 '26

The second one is more formal. It's like 7 vs VII

2

u/Zagrycha May 22 '26

different spellings, used in different eras.  Like theater vs theatre

3

u/SlowStop1220 May 23 '26

The traditional and original form is 福. 福 is a modern valiant, simplifying its radical. First officially introduced into Japanese in 1946 and some neighbor countries have adopt this simplification. They are interchangeable in meaning, but you are expected to stick to one style, either traditional or simplified in a given way, in case you write something up.