聖靈 / 圣灵
Shènglíng
The English phrase "holy spirit" is translated into Chinese as 聖靈 / 圣灵 (Shènglíng). If unsure, use 聖靈 / 圣灵. Wiktionary also lists 聖神 / 圣神 (Shèngshén).
Meaning: Christian: person of the Holy Trinity (name)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 聖靈 / 圣灵 | Shènglíng | |
| 聖神 / 圣神 | Shèngshén | Catholic |
The term refers to the person of the Holy Trinity in a Christian context.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 聖靈 / 圣灵 is composed of 聖 (holy/sacred) and 靈 (spirit/soul).
Which one should you use?
The term 聖靈 / 圣灵 is the standard way to refer to the Holy Spirit within Protestant Christian contexts. In contrast, 聖神 / 圣神 is the specific term used by the Catholic Church.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a proper noun, 聖靈 / 圣灵 does not change its form based on its position in a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
Shènglíng
Did you know?
- The simplified character 灵 in 圣灵 is visually distinct from the traditional 靈, removing the radical that represents 'rain', which originally symbolized the descent of spiritual power.
- In traditional Chinese beliefs, 靈 often refers to the soul of a deceased person or a deity, which created significant tension when missionaries first introduced the concept of the 'Holy Spirit'.
- While 靈 refers to the 'spirit' in 聖靈, it can also mean 'effective' or 'magical' when describing a medicine or a prayer in daily Chinese.
Examples in context
- 聖父、聖子、聖靈Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Spirit
- 我感受到聖靈的力量I feel the power of the Holy Spirit
- 我們需要神的靈的幫助We need the help of the Holy Spirit
Sources
- Wiktionary, “holy spirit” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
