神
shén
The Chinese word for god is 神 (shén).
神 is used to mean a deity. It can refer to a specific deity or be used abstractly to refer to the concept of divinity or spirit. Other terms exist for specific contexts: 神仙 refers to mythological figures or deities in Chinese folk religion and Taoism, while 大神 is used in internet slang to refer to an expert or a highly skilled person in a particular field. In modern slang, 女神 is often used to refer to an idealized, beautiful or highly admired woman.
Meaning: deity (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 神 can mean a specific deity, it is also used abstractly to refer to the concept of divinity or spirit.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
shén
Did you know?
- There is a possible linguistic connection between the Chinese word for 'spirit' and the word for 'soul' in the Chepang language of the Himalayas.
- The character for 'divinity' can also imply the human mind or consciousness in certain philosophical contexts.
- The character 神 contains the radical 示, which is used across Chinese to denote things related to omens, rituals and deities.
Examples in context
- 神無處不在。God is everywhere.The sentence uses 神.Tatoeba #6325113 by verdastelo9604, translation #3253982 by deyta
- 我杀死了神。I killed God.Tatoeba #7768198 by jiangche, translation #811617 by BraveSentry
- 沒有人看過神。Nobody has seen God.Tatoeba #3149017 by cienias, translation #7802996 by sharris123
- 佛教、基督教以及道教都相信世界中存在着神。Buddhism, Christianity, and Taoism all believe in the presence of God in the world.
- 基督教徒相信天主是宇宙的创造者。Christians believe that God is the creator of the universe.
- 我相信上帝会指引我走向正确的道路。I believe God will guide me on the right path.
- 尽管生活中有困难，但是我相信天会给我力量。Despite the difficulties in life, I believe Heaven will give me strength.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing an ancient mythology book.
- 伟 Wei这个故事里的神很有权力。Zhège gùshì lǐ de shén hěn yǒu quánlì.The god in this story is very powerful.
- 雨婷 Yuting是的，他能控制天气。Shì de, tā néng kòngzhì tiānqì.Yes, he can control the weather.
- 伟 Wei你相信神真的存在吗？Nǐ xiāngxìn shén zhēn de cúnzài ma?Do you believe that gods really exist?
- 雨婷 Yuting我不太确定，但故事很有趣。Wǒ bù tài quèdìng, dàn gùshì hěn yǒuqù.I'm not too sure, but the stories are interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “god” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 神, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
