DEITY    神神

SUPERNATURAL CREATURE.
GODDESSDIVINE BEINGCELESTIAL BEINGDIVINITYIMMORTALAVATAR
Old Chinese Criteria
1. The general designation for the spirits is guǐ shén 鬼神, and for the higher and lower spirits of Heaven and Earth it is shén qí 神祇. 2. Guǐ 鬼 is very often a spirit of the deceased (See GHOST), but the word can also refer to nature spirits of all kinds. 3. Shén 神 refers to the ethereal supernatural spirits of all kinds, primarily associated with heaven, but the word also refers to a righteous person who turns into such a spirit after death. 4. Míng shén 明神 refers to the luminous elevated higher spirits, and it is significant that there are not míng guǐ 明鬼. 5. Qí 祇 refers to the spirits of the earth. 6. Yāo 妖 are wicked spirits, and jiān 姦 can be used in the same sense. See DEVIL. 7. Xiān 仙 refers to ethereal divinised creatures of any kind, typically to those who have attained an eternal life on earth, and it is striking that the word gained currency first in Eastern Han times, and that the word is very common in the verbal meaning "become an immortal", whereas guǐ 鬼 is very rarely so used.
黄金貴：古漢語同義詞辨釋詞典
HUANG JINGUI 2006 SACRIFICE 18. 神，天神，天地萬物的創造者和主宰者；亦可泛指神靈，早於靈、祇、鬼的泛指。 靈，天神；有時泛指神靈，多見於上古楚國方言，漢代起普遍泛指神靈。 祇，地神；也可泛指神靈，其用較少見。 鬼，人死後的神靈，多指家族祖先神；漢代起已可泛指萬物（不包括天地）之精靈，不限於人神。
Modern Chinese Criteria
神 天神 仙 神人 神物 神道 神明 神靈 菩薩 仙人 仙 上真 上仙 大士 rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／
Hyponym
  • MYTHICAL ANIMALS　FICTION ANIMAL OR DEITY in the SHAPE of an ANIMAL. (anc: 6/0, child: 2)
  • DEITIES　DEITIES.For an extensive list of designations for deified persons, gods and spirits see R. Matthieu 1983, vol. 2, pp. 1051 - 1071. (anc: 6/0, child: 2)
  • ANGEL　SMALL DEITY that HAS WINGS.  (anc: 6/0, child: 0)
  • DEVIL　WICKED DEITY. (anc: 6/0, child: 0)
  • GOD　MOST IMPORTANT DEITY. (anc: 6/0, child: 0)
  • BODHISATTVAS　 (anc: 6/0, child: 0)
  • EROS　DEITY OF LOVE (anc: 6/0, child: 0)
  • FAIRY　FEMALE KIND DEITY IN FICTION. (anc: 6/0, child: 0)
See also
  • DRAGONMYTHICAL ANIMAL OR SNAKE which has FOUR LEGS AND RIDES ON CLOUDS.
  • IMMORTALENDURING so as to be NOT ABLE to DIE.
  • SOULMIND:mental/psychological ORGAN OF THE HUMAN.
Hypernym
  • CREATURE　LIVING THING. (anc: 4/0, child: 3)
  • THING　CONCRETE OBJECT. (anc: 3/0, child: 10)
  • OBJECT　[NO HYPERNYM.] WHAT one CAN NAME:refer to. (anc: 2/0, child: 6)
  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 22.35

  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 22.12

  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 22.44

  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 22.45

  • Vocabulaire européen des philosophies. Dictionnaire des intraduisibles ( CASSIN 2004) p. 279

  • Verzeichnis und Motivindex der Han-Darstellungen ( FINSTERBUSCH 2000) p. 747

    Gefluegeltes (menschliches) Wesen.

  • 論衡同義詞研究 ( LUNHENG TONGYI 2004) p. 47

  • 論衡同義詞研究 ( LUNHENG TONGYI 2004) p. 79

  • Woerterbuch der Philosophie. Neue Beitraege zu einer Kritik der Sprache ( MAUTHNER WP 1924) p. I.261

  • Dictionnaire culturel en langue francaise ( REY 2005) p. 1.2245

  • Dictionnaire culturel en langue francaise ( REY 2005) p. 2.57

    DIEU ET LES DIEUX

  • Historisches Woerterbuch der Philosophie ( RITTER 1971-2007) p. 10.670

    SUPRANATURAL

  • Historisches Woerterbuch der Philosophie ( RITTER 1971-2007) p. 3.836

    GOTTHEIT

  • "Sachwoerterbuch zum Alten China" ( UNGER SACH) p.

    GOETTER

    TOTENGEISTER

  • 王力古漢語字典 ( WANG LI 2000) p. 17

    1. It is most striking that xia1n 仙 is so predominant in the meaning "become an immortal", whereas she2n 神 only occasionally has a comparable meaning.

  • Encyclopedia of Religion ( JONES 2005) p.

    DYING AND RISING GODS

  • Bibliographisches Handbuch zur Sprachinhaltsforschung. Teil II. Systematischer Teil. B. Ordnung nach Sinnbezirken (mit einem alphabetischen Begriffsschluessel): Der Mensch und seine Welt im Spiegel der Sprachforschung ( FRANKE 1989) p. 168A

    ABGOTT

    • Words (44 items)

    鬼神  guǐ shén OC: kulʔ ɢljin MC: kɨi ʑin 48 Attributions

    The general designation for the spirits is guǐ shén 鬼神, and for the higher and lower spirits of Heaven and Earth it is shén qí 神祇.

      Syntactic words
    • NPnonreferentialghost or spirit of any kind 狀似鬼神；　鬼神無形體
    • NPpluralthe ghosts and spirits (always in the plural, occasionally generic)
    仙  xiān MC: sjen OC: sen
    仙  xiān MC: sjen OC: sen 46 Attributions

    Xiān 仙 refers to ethereal divinised creatures of any kind, typically to those who have attained an eternal life on earth, and it is striking that the word gained currency first in Eastern Han times, and that the word is very common in the verbal meaning "become an immortal", whereas guǐ 鬼 is very rarely so used.

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 神/SUPERNATURAL The general and very common term referring to whatever is supernatural or divine in any way, and thus superior to what is ordinarily human or natural, is shén 神.

      Syntactic words
    • nabactthe art of immortality; the way of immortality
    • nadNimmortal
    • nadVanalogylike an immortal
    • nccimmortals [By the way: is this used to refer to a single definite immortal?]
    • vichangebecome an immortal 仙者 "one who has become an immortal"
    神明  shén míng OC: ɢljin mraŋ MC: ʑin mɣaŋ 45 Attributions

      Syntactic words
    • NPabthe higher realm of the purified spiritual world (of the deities, also as represented in the mind of the enlightened person); spiritual magic
    • NPpersonifiedrealm of the spirits; the deities, the gods; sometimes explicitly: the gods of Heaven and Earth 天地之神明
    • VPadNdivinely authorised, instituted, or legitimised
    • VPtoNputativeregard as invested with higher spiritual power
    神  shén OC: ɢljin MC: ʑin 42 Attributions

    Shén 神refers to the ethereal supernatural spirits of all kinds, primarily associated with heaven, but the word also refers to a righteous person who turns into such a spirit after death.

      Word relations
    • Object: 祭/SACRIFICE The most general word for making sacrificial offerings of wine and food to spirits of Heaven, of Earth and to the ancestors (perhaps primarily to the spirits of Earth and of the ancestors) is jì 祭 which has become the most common word in Warring States times, replacing sì 祀, which was more common in SHU and SHI.
    • Assoc: 靈/DEITY
    • Assoc: 鬼/DEITY Guǐ 鬼 is very often a spirit of the deceased (See GHOST), but the word can also refer to nature spirits of all kinds.
    • Assoc: 鬼/GHOST The current general word for all manner of ghosts is guǐ 鬼.
    • Oppos: 鬼/GHOST The current general word for all manner of ghosts is guǐ 鬼.

      Syntactic words
    • nthe spirits; the divine creatures; divinity, spirit (typically belonging to or stemming from Heaven)
    • n Nprtitledeity named Npr
    • nabmetaphysicalthe supernatural (world)
    • nadVanalogylike a spirit 神速
    • npost-Ndeity/deities of the N (including rivers, mountains and the like)
    • vichangebecome divine, become a deity
    仙人  xiān rén OC: sen njin MC: siɛn ȵin
    仙人  xiān rén OC: sen njin MC: siɛn ȵin 19 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPimmortal
    • NPadNimmortal
    靈  líng OC: reeŋ MC: leŋ 18 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 神/DEITY Shén 神refers to the ethereal supernatural spirits of all kinds, primarily associated with heaven, but the word also refers to a righteous person who turns into such a spirit after death.

      Syntactic words
    • nab.post-V{NUM}metaphysicalthe soul of a deceased person (especially insofar as it is endowed with a supernatural efficacy); spirit; deity
    鬼  guǐ OC: kulʔ MC: kɨi 12 Attributions

    Guǐ 鬼 is very often a spirit of the deceased (See GHOST), but the word can also refer to nature spirits of all kinds.

      Word relations
    • Object: 祭/SACRIFICE The most general word for making sacrificial offerings of wine and food to spirits of Heaven, of Earth and to the ancestors (perhaps primarily to the spirits of Earth and of the ancestors) is jì 祭 which has become the most common word in Warring States times, replacing sì 祀, which was more common in SHU and SHI.
    • Assoc: 神/DEITY Shén 神refers to the ethereal supernatural spirits of all kinds, primarily associated with heaven, but the word also refers to a righteous person who turns into such a spirit after death.

      Syntactic words
    • nspirit
    • nadVanalogylike a ghost, like a spirit
    • ncpost-V{NUM}ghosts in a number of VDS
    • npluralgenerally: the spirits and ghosts 鬼神
    • viactact like a ghost
    夜叉  yè chā OC: k-laɡs skhraa MC: jɣɛ ʈʂhɣɛ 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPbuddhistBUDDH: kind of demons, in the Buddhist tradition regarded as one of the eight kind of beings said to protect the Buddhist teaching; SANSKRIT yakṣa
    天子  tiān zǐ OC: lʰiin sklɯʔ MC: then tsɨ 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPBUDDH: deity
    • NPvocativedivine creatures!
    仙者  xiān zhě OC: sen kljaʔ MC: siɛn tɕɣɛ 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPimmortal
    天神  tiān shén OC: lʰiin ɢljin MC: then ʑin 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPheavenly deity/spirit
    明神  míng shén OC: mraŋ ɢljin MC: mɣaŋ ʑin 3 Attributions

    Míng shén 明神 refers to the luminous elevated higher spirits, and it is significant that there are not míng guǐ 明鬼.

      Syntactic words
    • NPpluralthe higher spirits
    神仙  shén xiān OC: ɢljin sen MC: ʑin siɛn 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPimmortal; supernatural being
    • NPabchangethe art of becoming immortal (perhaps one might analyse this as NPab(adN)
    天女  tiān nǚ OC: lʰiin naʔ MC: then ɳi̯ɤ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPdivine lady
    神祇  shén qí OC: ɢljin ɡe MC: ʑin giɛ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPdefinitethe spirits
    君  jūn OC: klun MC: ki̯un 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • npost-NprMistress of N, Lord of N
    寒  hán OC: ɡaan MC: ɦɑn 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nprSpirit of the Cold
    物  wù OC: mɯd MC: mi̯ut 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nnonreferentialthe spirits, spirits
    神主  shén zhǔ OC: ɢljin tjoʔ MC: ʑin tɕi̯o 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPabmetaphysical"lord of the spirits"
    螭魅  chī mèi OC: ph-rel mrɯds MC: ʈhiɛ mi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPmountain spirits
    魂  hún OC: ɢuun MC: ɦuo̝n 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nheavenly soul
    魄  pò OC: phraaɡ MC: phɣɛk 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nfemale soul (which returns to Earth after death)
    魅  mèi OC: mrɯds MC: mi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nspirit
    人鬼  rén guǐ OC: njin kulʔ MC: ȵin kɨi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPhuman ghost
    靈怪  líng guài OC: reeŋ kruuds MC: leŋ kɣɛi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPdemons; elf; goblin
    騰蛇  téng shé OC: lɯɯŋ ɢljal MC: dəŋ ʑɣɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nflying snake
    大神  dà shén OC: daads ɢljin MC: dɑi ʑin 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPabmetaphysicalgreat spirits
    社  shè OC: ɡljaʔ MC: dʑɣɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nthe god of the (altar of) the earth
    祇  qí OC: ɡe MC: giɛ 1 Attribution

    Qí 祇 refers to the spirits of the earth.

      Syntactic words
    • nspirits of the Earth
    精  jīng OC: tseŋ MC: tsiɛŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nspirit (Song Yu, 神女賦)
    司命  sī mìng MC: si mjaengH OC: sqlɯ mɢreŋs 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPfigurativegod which determines people's fate DS
    辟  pì OC: beɡ MC: biɛk 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nspirit of any kind
    風  fēng OC: plum MC: puŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • npr(God of) Storms [Keightley: The Shang conceived of the wind, like so many other naturalphenomena, both beneficial and harmful, as under the command ofDi, the High God.
    鮭  xié OC: ɡree MC: ɦɣɛ 0 Attributions

    wā

      Syntactic words
    • nkind of demon
    社稷  shè jì OC: ɡljaʔ tsɯɡ MC: dʑɣɛ tsɨk 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NP[post-N]gods of the land and grain (of the lexically determinate subject, i.e. the main subject of the clause)
    儺神  nuó shén OC: mɢlaal ɢljin MC: nɑ ʑin 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nbenign spirit able to drive out high fevers
    土  tǔ OC: kh-laaʔ MC: thuo̝ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • ngod of the soil, spirits of the soil
    喜神  xǐ shén OC: qhɯʔ ɢljin MC: hɨ ʑin 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPauspicious deity
    妖  yāo OC: qrow MC: ʔiɛu 0 Attributions

    Yāo 妖 are wicked spirits, and jiān 姦 can be used in the same sense. See DEVIL.

      Syntactic words
    • nadNportents; ominous
    姦  jiān OC: kraan MC: kɣan 0 Attributions

    Yāo 妖 are wicked spirits, and jiān 姦 can be used in the same sense. See DEVIL.

      Syntactic words
    岳  yuè OC: ŋruuɡ MC: ŋɣɔk 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nprMountain deity (David N. Keightley transcribes this chracter with a goat's horns on the top.)
    仙士  xiān shì OC: sen dzrɯʔ MC: siɛn ɖʐɨ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPdeity; supernatural person
    河  hé OC: ɡlaal MC: ɦɑ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nprYellow River Deity
    有神  yǒu shén OC: ɢʷɯʔ ɢljin MC: ɦɨu ʑin 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPabmetaphysicalarchaic, SHU: spirits