神

神 U+795E, 神 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-795E ← 祝 [U+795D] CJK Unified Ideographs 祟 → [U+795F]

神 U+FA19, 神 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-FA19 ← 礼 [U+FA18] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 祥 → [U+FA1A]

Translingual

Stroke order (Mainland China)

Han character

神 (Kangxi radical 113, 示+5, 10 strokes in traditional Chinese and Korean, 9 strokes in mainland China and Japanese, cangjie input 戈火中田中 (IFLWL), four-corner 3520₆, composition ⿰礻申(GHTJV) or ⿰示申(K or U+FA19))

Derived characters

• 榊, 𨕫, 鰰, 䨩, 𥔻, 䗝, 𬷫

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 842, character 3
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 24673
• Dae Jaweon: page 1261, character 2
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2392, character 1
• Unihan data for U+795E

• Unihan data for U+FA19

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Chinese

simp. and trad.		神
alternative forms		𥙍 𥛠

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 神
Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script

Characters in the same phonetic series (申) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
電	*l'iːns
胂	*l̥ʰin, *hlin
申	*hlin
伸	*hlin
呻	*hlin
紳	*hlin
眒	*hlin, *hlins
柛	*hlin
訷	*hlin
抻	*hlins
神	*hlin
朄	*lins

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hlin) : semantic 示 (“god; deity”) + phonetic 申 (OC *hlin, “lightning”).

Originally 申 in the oracle bone script and in some bronze inscriptions. The ancients feared the unpredictable lightning and considered it to be divine or of divine origin. 示 was added for specialization.

Etymology 1

Possibly Sino-Tibetan; compare Chepang ग्‍लीङ्‌ह (gliŋh, “spirit, mind, soul”) (Schuessler, 2007)

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 神

1. (religion) god; deity; spirit

   神位  ―  shénwèi  ―  spirit tablet

   財神／财神  ―  cáishén  ―  god of wealth

   死神  ―  sǐshén  ―  god of death

   守護神／守护神  ―  shǒuhùshén  ―  tutelary deity

   無神論／无神论  ―  wúshénlùn  ―  atheism

   一神教  ―  yīshénjiào  ―  monotheism

   • 子不語怪、力、亂、神。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子不语怪、力、乱、神。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

     Zǐ bù yǔ guài, lì, luàn, shén. [Pinyin]

     Confucius does not speak about strange phenomenon, violence, rebellion, and spirits.

   • 西方有神，名曰佛。 [Literary Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Book of the Later Han, circa 5^th century CE

     Xīfāng yǒu shén, míng yuē Fó. [Pinyin]

     In the west there is a deity, they call him Buddha.

   1. (Protestantism, specifically) God

      • 神說：「要有光」，就有了光。 [MSC, trad.]
        神说：「要有光」，就有了光。 [MSC, simp.]

        From: 新標點和合本 (Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation), 創世記 (Genesis) 1:3

        Shén shuō: “Yào yǒu guāng”, jiù yǒu le guāng. [Pinyin]

        And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

2. spirit; soul; mind
3. expression; countenance; appearance
4. supernatural; magic; psychic
5. extraordinary; unbelievable; sublime
6. a surname. Shen

Synonyms

Terms for God in different branches of Christianity

Branch	Words edit
Protestant	上帝, 神, 真神
Roman Catholic	天主, 僚氏 Hokkien, historical
Eastern Orthodox	上帝

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (神):

• → Japanese: 神(しん) (shin)
• → Korean: 신(神) (sin)
• → Vietnamese: thần (神)

Others:

• → Chadong: sən²

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shēn, shén

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄣ, ㄕㄣˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): san¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shēn
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shen
    • Wade–Giles: shên¹
    • Yale: shēn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shen
    • Palladius: шэнь (šɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂən⁵⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shén
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄣˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shén
    • Wade–Giles: shên²
    • Yale: shén
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shern
    • Palladius: шэнь (šɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂən³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: san¹
    • Yale: sān
    • Cantonese Pinyin: san¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sen¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐn⁵⁵/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 神

1. Only used in 神荼 (Shēnshū).

References

• “神”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

(deprecated template usage)

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Japanese

Shinjitai	神
Kyūjitai	神

Kanji

神

(Third grade kyōiku kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 神)

Readings

• Go-on: じん (jin, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: しん (shin, Jōyō)
• Kun: かみ (kami, 神, Jōyō)、かん (kan, 神, Jōyō ^†)^{←かん (kan, 神, historical)←かむ (kamu, 神, ancient)}、こう (kō, 神, Jōyō ^†)^{←かう (kau, 神, historical)}
• Nanori: か (ka)、かむ (kamu)、きよ (kiyo)、しの (shino)、たる (taru)、みわ (miwa)

Compounds

Compounds

• 神(しん)荼(と) (Shinto)
• 神楽(かぐら) (kagura)
• 神籬(ひもろぎ) (himorogi)
• 神子(みこ) (miko)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
神
かみ Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
神 (kyūjitai)

⟨kami₂⟩ → */kamɨ/ → /kami/

From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *kamuy.

Not related to 上 (kami₁ → kami, “top, upper”) or 髪 (kami, “hair”). Possibly cognate with Korean 검 (geom, “god, spirit”).

Often appears in compounds as kamu- or kan-, indicating that kami is a bound or fused form deriving from */kamu.i/. Note that this final i may be the Old Japanese emphatic nominative particle い (i), likely cognate with Korean nominative particle 이 (i). Such fusion has occurred in other Japanese terms, such as 目 (me, “eye”, from ma + i) or 酒 (sake, “sake, liquor”, from saka + i).

Compare Ainu カムィ (kamuy, “god”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) かみ [káꜜmì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ka̠mʲi]

Noun

神(かみ) • (kami) 

1. (Shinto) a spirit or an essence present in all things, the main subject of worship of Shinto
2. (by extension, religion) a deity, god
3. (by extension) thunder
4. a Shinto shrine
5. a person of outstanding talent or skill
6. (Internet slang, attributive) something amazing; great; fantastic; awesome

   神(かみ)曲(きょく) ― kamikyoku ― amazing song

   神(かみ)ゲー ― kamigē ― amazing game

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:神.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 神(かみ)さびる (kamisabiru), 神(かん)さびる (kansabiru)
• 神(かみ)降(お)ろし (kamioroshi)
• 神(かみ)風(かぜ) (kamikaze)
• 神(かみ)気(け) (kamike)
• 神(かみ)事(ごと) (kamigoto)
• 神(かみ)様(さま) (kamisama)
• 神(かみ)棚(だな) (kamidana)
• 神(かん)殿(どの) (kandono)
• 随神(かんながら) (kannagara)
• 神無(かんな)月(づき) (kannazuki)
• 雷(かみなり) (kaminari)
• 神(かん)主(ぬし) (kannushi)
• 神(こう)戸(べ) (Kōbe)
• 神(かみ)業(わざ) (kamiwaza)
• 犬(いぬ)神(がみ) (inugami)
• 氏(うじ)神(がみ) (ujigami)
• 狼(オオカミ) (ōkami)
• 男(おとこ)神(がみ) (otokogami)
• 祖(おや)神(がみ) (oyagami)
• 式(しき)神(がみ) (shikigami)
• 皇(すべら)神(がみ) (suberagami)
• 付喪神(つくもがみ) (tsukumogami)
• 鳴(な)る神(かみ) (narukami)
• 女(め)神(がみ) (megami)
• 八(や)百(お)万(よろず)の神(かみ) (yaoyorozu no kami)
• 疫(やく)病(びょう)神(がみ) (yakubyōgami)
• 大(おお)御(み)神(かみ) (ōmikami)

Descendants

• → English: kami

Proper noun

神(かみ) • (Kami) 

1. (Christianity) God

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:神.

See also

• 精(せい)霊(れい) (seirei)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
神
しん Grade: 3
kan'on

Alternative spelling
神 (kyūjitai)

From Middle Chinese 神 (MC zyin). The 漢音 (kan'on, literally “Han sound”) reading, so likely a later borrowing from Middle Chinese.

Compare modern Mandarin 神 (shén).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しん [shíꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ɕĩɴ]

Noun

神(しん) • (shin) 

1. (religion) a deity, god, kami
2. a mysterious or incomprehensible force, compare English act of God
3. a mind, soul, spirit
4. Short for 神道 (shintō): Shinto

Derived terms

• 神(しん)具(ぐ) (shingu)
• 神(しん)仏(ぶつ) (shinbutsu)

Affix

神(しん) • (shin) 

1. deity, god, kami
2. mysterious or incomprehensible force
3. mind, soul, spirit
4. Short for 神道 (shintō): Shinto
5. Short for 神戸 (Kōbe, “Kōbe (a city in Japan)”).

   阪神(はんしん) (hanshin)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 神(しん)意(い) (shin'i)
• 神(しん)威(い) (shin'i)
• 神(しん)韻(いん) (shin'in)
• 神(しん)火(か) (shinka)
• 神(しん)格(かく) (shinkaku)
• 神(しん)学(がく) (shingaku)
• 神(しん)官(かん) (shinkan)
• 神(しん)気(き) (shinki)
• 神(しん)曲(きょく) (shinkyoku)
• 神(しん)経(けい) (shinkei)
• 神(しん)権(けん) (shinken)
• 神(しん)魂(こん) (shinkon)
• 神(しん)札(さつ) (shinsatsu)
• 神(しん)事(じ) (shinji)
• 神(しん)主(しゅ) (shinshu)
• 神(しん)酒(しゅ) (shinshu)
• 神(しん)式(しき) (shinshiki)
• 神(しん)水(すい) (shinsui)
• 神(しん)髄(ずい) (shinzui)
• 神(しん)聖(せい) (shinsei)
• 神(しん)仙(せん) (shinsen)
• 神(しん)像(ぞう) (shinzō)
• 神(しん)体(たい) (shintai)
• 神(しん)託(たく) (shintaku)
• 神(しん)殿(でん) (shinden)
• 神(しん)道(とう) (shintō)
• 神(しん)罰(ばつ) (shinbatsu)
• 神(しん)秘(ぴ) (shinpi)
• 神(しん)父(ぷ) (shinpu)
• 神(しん)木(ぼく) (shinboku)
• 神(しん)明(めい) (shinmei)
• 神(しん)雷(らい) (shinrai)
• 神(しん)霊(れい) (shinrei)
• 神(しん)話(わ) (shinwa)
• 軍(ぐん)神(しん) (gunshin)
• 守(しゅ)護(ご)神(しん) (shugoshin)
• 祖(そ)神(しん) (soshin)
• 半(はん)神(しん) (hanshin)
• 阪(はん)神(しん) (Hanshin)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
神
じん Grade: 3
goon

Alternative spelling
神 (kyūjitai)

From Middle Chinese 神 (MC zyin).

The 呉音 (goon, literally “Wu sound”) reading, so likely the earlier borrowing from Middle Chinese.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑĩɴ]

Noun

神(じん) • (jin) 

1. (rare) Same as しん (shin) above

Affix

神(じん) • (jin) 

1. deity, god, kami
2. mysterious or incomprehensible force

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 神(じん)器(き) (jinki), 神(じん)器(ぎ) (jingi)
• 神(じん)宮(ぐう) (jingū)
• 神(じん)事(じ) (jinji)
• 神(じん)社(じゃ) (jinja)
• 神(じん)通(ずう) (jinzū)
• 火(か)神(じん) (kajin)
• 水(すい)神(じん) (suijin)
• 天(てん)神(じん) (tenjin)
• 土(ど)神(じん) (dojin)
• 風(ふう)神(じん) (fūjin)
• 雷(らい)神(じん) (raijin)
• 竜(りゅう)神(じん) (ryūjin)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
神
み Grade: 3
irregular

Alternative spellings
神 (kyūjitai) 霊

⟨mi₁⟩ → */mʲi/ → /mi/

From Old Japanese.

Cognate with 御 (mi-), an honorific prefix originally used to refer to gods and other high-status objects.

Noun

神(み) • (mi) 

1. (rare) a god or spirit

Derived terms

• 神(み)輿(こし) (mikoshi)
• 海神(わたつみ) (watatsumi)

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Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 神 (MC zyin). Recorded as Middle Korean 신 (sin) (Yale: sin) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Wikisource

神 (eumhun 귀신 신 (gwisin sin))

1. hanja form^? of 신 (“ghost; spirit; phantom; god”)

Compounds

Compounds

• 신경 (神經, sin'gyeong, “(medicine) nerves”)
• 신기 (神奇, sin'gi, “mysterious”)
• 신령 (神靈, sillyeong, “gods; deities; divinities”)
• 신비 (神祕, sinbi, “mystery”)
• 신선 (神仙, sinseon, “celestial or divine being; an immortal”)
• 신성 (神聖, sinseong, “holiness, sacredness”)
• 신점 (神占, sinjeom, “divination”)
• 신화 (神話, sinhwa, “A myth or legend.”)
• 귀신 (鬼神, gwisin, “ghost, spirit”)
• 실신 (失神, silsin, “faint”)
• 정신 (精神, jeongsin, “mind; consciousness; pneuma; psyche”)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

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Okinawan

Kanji

神

(Third grade kyōiku kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 神)

Readings

• On (unclassified): しん (shin, Jōyō)
• Kun: かみ (kami, 神, Jōyō)

Etymology

Kanji in this term
神
かみ Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
神 (kyūjitai)

From Proto-Ryukyuan *kami.

Pronunciation

• かみ [kàmí] (Heiban - [0])
• IPA^(key): [kamʲi]

Noun

神(かみ) (kami) 

1. a spirit or an essence present in all things
2. a god, deity

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Old Japanese

Compounds

• 神酒 (mi₁ki₁), 神酒 (mi₁wa)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Japonic *kamuy.

Can be parsed as a compound of unbound apophonic 神 (kamu) +‎ い (i₍₂₎, emphatic nominative particle).

Noun

神 (kami₂) (kana かみ)

1. a spirit or an essence present in all things
2. a god, deity
3. (by extension) an Emperor or Empress regnant of Japan
4. an evil spirit, such as a snake or wild beast

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:神.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 神さぶ (kamusabu)
• 神しむ (kamusimu)
• 神ぶ (kamubu)
• 神風 (kami₂kaze, kamukaze)
• 随神 (kamunagara)
• 神無月 (kami₂naduki₂, kamunaduki₂)
• 神の命 (kami₂ no₂ mi₁ko₂to₂)
• 神宮 (kamumi₁ya)
• 天つ神 (ama tu kami₂)
• 大神 (opokami₂)
• 大御神 (opomi₁kami₁)
• 國つ神 (kuni tu kami₂)
• 皇神 (sume₁kami₂)
• 鳴る神 (narukami₂)
• 火の神 (pi₂ no₂ kami₂, pono₂kami₂)
• 八百萬の神 (yapoyo₂ro₂du no₂ kami₂)

Descendants

• Japanese: 神 (kami)

Etymology 2

Cognate with 御 (mi₁-), an honorific prefix originally used to refer to gods and other high-status objects.

Alternative forms

• 靈

Noun

神 (mi₁) (kana み)

1. (rare) a god or spirit

Derived terms

• 山祇 (yamatumi₁)
• 海神 (watatumi₁)

Descendants

• Japanese: 神, 霊 (mi)

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Vietnamese

Han character

神: Hán Việt readings: thần
神: Nôm readings: thần, thằn, thườn

1. chữ Hán form of thần (“deity”).