聖人 / 圣人
In Cantonese, the English word saint can be translated as 聖人 / 圣人. If unsure, use 聖人 / 圣人. Wiktionary also lists 聖徒 / 圣徒.
Meaning: person proclaimed as saint (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese |
|---|
| 聖人 / 圣人 |
| 聖徒 / 圣徒 |
The terms used for saint in Cantonese depend on whether you are describing a person of great wisdom or a religious follower.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 聖人 / 圣人 consists of the character 聖 (holy or sage) and 人 (person), literally meaning a holy or sage person. The term 聖徒 / 圣徒 combines 聖 (holy) with 徒 (follower or disciple), literally meaning a holy follower.
Which one should you use?
聖人 / 圣人 refers to a person of exceptional virtue or a sage. In contrast, 聖徒 / 圣徒 is used in a religious context to mean a disciple or a follower of a faith, rather than a person canonized for holiness. Additionally, 聖者 is another formal way to say saint.
Did you know?
- While 聖人 / 圣人 means 'saint', using it to describe a living person in Cantonese can sometimes be sarcastic, implying the person is pretending to be perfect.
- In Cantonese literature, the term 聖人 / 圣人 is often used to refer to Confucius himself, effectively turning a word for 'saint' into a specific title for a philosopher.
- Cantonese speakers use the root 聖 in the word 聖地, which refers to a 'holy land' or a 'mecca' for any specific hobby or interest.
Example sentences for Cantonese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “saint” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
