Comparison to Western “Luck”: In Western culture, “luck” is often seen as random, a matter of chance (e.g., “a lucky guess,” “beginner's luck”). In contrast, 福 (fú) is more profound and less arbitrary. It is a state of being, a holistic blessing that includes tangible elements (wealth, health) and intangible ones (happiness, peace). While you can have “bad luck” (坏运气, huài yùnqi) in Chinese, you don't really have “bad fú.” You either have 福 or you don't. It's a positive, aspirational state, often believed to be the result of good karma, hard work, and virtuous living.