神
shén
The English word 'God' translates to Chinese as 神 (shén).
神 is used to refer to a deity, a spirit or the general concept of divinity. In modern colloquial Chinese, the term 男神 (nánshén) is used to refer to an extremely attractive or idealized man, similar to how English speakers use 'God' or 'idol' in slang. Similarly, 女神 (nǚshén) refers to an extremely attractive or idealized woman.
Meaning: deity (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 神 can refer to a specific deity, it is also used broadly for spirits or the general idea of divinity. In the context of Chinese mythology, the term 神仙 is used to refer to immortal beings or celestial beings, which distinguishes them from more abstract or monotheistic concepts of God.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
shén
Did you know?
- When describing someone as 神, it can sometimes be used ironically to mean someone is acting weird or eccentric, rather than being divine.
- While 神 refers to divinity, the term 神仙 refers to 'immortals' who have achieved a divine state through cultivation and alchemy rather than being born as gods.
- The character 神 was originally written as 申, which represents 'lightning'. Ancient Chinese people associated the unpredictable power of lightning with the divine.
Examples in context
- 神無處不在。God is everywhere.This sentence shows the omnipresence of 神.Tatoeba #6325113 by verdastelo9604, translation #3253982 by deyta
- 我杀死了神。I killed God.This sentence uses 神 in the context of an action against a deity.Tatoeba #7768198 by jiangche, translation #811617 by BraveSentry
- 沒有人看過神。Nobody has seen God.This sentence describes the inability of humans to see 神.Tatoeba #3149017 by cienias, translation #7802996 by sharris123
- 哇，这个好像是天在保佑我们！Wow, it seems like God is blessing us!
- 我感谢主一直保佑我们。I am grateful for the continuous blessings from God.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing an old legend in a park.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，你听说过关于那位神的故事吗？Hàorán, nǐ tīngshuō guò guānyú nà wèi shén de gùshì ma?Haoran, have you heard the story about that god?
- 浩然 Haoran我听过一点，他很强大。Wǒ tīngguò yīdiǎn, tā hěn qiángdà.I've heard a little, he is very powerful.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen传说他是一位守护神。Chuánshuō tā shì yī wèi shǒuhù shén.Legend says he is a guardian god.
- 浩然 Haoran晓雯，这个传说很有趣。Xiǎowén, zhège chuánshuō hěn yǒuqù.Xiaowen, this legend is very 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.
