殺 / 杀
shā
The English verb 'slay' can be translated into Chinese as 殺 / 杀 (shā). Wiktionary also lists 謀殺 / 谋杀 (móushā) and 殘殺 / 残杀 (cánshā).
Meaning: to kill, murder (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 殺 / 杀 | shā |
| 謀殺 / 谋杀 | móushā |
| 殘殺 / 残杀 | cánshā |
Which one should you use?
殺 / 杀 is the general verb used for any act of killing. 謀殺 / 谋杀 is used specifically to describe the act of murder or a premeditated killing. 殘殺 / 残杀 is used when the killing is particularly brutal, cruel or refers to a massacre or slaughter.
How do you pronounce it?
shā
Did you know?
- The character 殺 can be used as a metaphor for reducing a price, such as in the phrase 殺價, which means to bargain or haggle.
- While 殺 is the general term for killing, Chinese uses the specialized character 弒 exclusively for the act of killing a parent or a superior.
- In very ancient forms, the character for 'slay' was not an abstract symbol, but a literal drawing of a boar that had been impaled through its head.
Examples in context
- 他在比赛中击败了所有对手。He slayed all his opponents in the competition.
- 她的穿搭秒杀了全场。Her outfit slayed the entire room.
- 她的歌声简直秒杀了其他选手。Her singing voice totally slayed the other contestants.
- 那件衣服真的很时髦，穿上绝对秒杀全场。That outfit is really trendy, wearing it will definitely slay the whole room.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slay” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 殺, CC BY-SA 4.0.
