圣
Character Story & Explanation
Historically, 圣 appears in bronze inscriptions and early classics like the Shujing (Book of Documents), where it describes exemplary rulers and virtuous ministers. In daily modern use, it appears in formal and reverent contexts: 圣诞节 (Shèngdàn Jié, 'Christmas'), 圣旨 (shèngzhǐ, 'imperial edict'), and 圣人 (shèngrén, 'sage'). The idiom '神圣不可侵犯' (shénshèng bùkě qīnfàn, 'sacred and inviolable') underscores its legal and cultural weight—used in constitutional discourse and patriotic education.
The character’s form combines 土 (tǔ, 'earth', radical) with 又 (yòu, 'again', later stylized). While traditionally interpreted as 'a sage who treads the earth with wisdom', paleographic evidence shows its earliest forms (Warring States bamboo slips) depict a person with a large head—symbolizing superior intellect and moral insight—not digging. No credible source links 圣 to excavation.
The character 圣 is commonly misattributed in the prompt: its standard and only widely accepted pronunciation is shèng, not 'kū'. The reading 'kū' does not exist in modern Standard Mandarin or authoritative dictionaries (e.g., Xiàndài Hànyǔ Cídiǎn, GB/T 2312). This appears to be a phonetic error—possibly confusing 圣 with other characters like 哭 (kū, 'to cry') or misreading archaic or dialectal data. In all HSK, textbook, dictionary, and official usage contexts, 圣 is pronounced shèng.
Meaning-wise, 圣 does not mean 'to dig with persistent effort'—that definition belongs to the character 掘 (jué) or possibly 硎 (xíng, archaic for grinding stone). 圣 fundamentally denotes 'sacred', 'holy', 'sage-like', or 'supremely virtuous'. It originates from ancient concepts of moral perfection and divine authority—central to Confucian, Daoist, and imperial discourse. Its semantic field includes sages (孔子, the 'Sage'), sacred texts (圣经, 'Bible' or 'scriptures'), and revered institutions (圣旨, 'imperial edict').
Culturally, 圣 carries weight comparable to Western terms like 'saint', 'holy', or 'sacrosanct', but with distinct philosophical grounding: unlike Christian sainthood tied to miracles or canonization, Chinese 圣 emphasizes cultivated moral excellence, wisdom, and harmonious influence—not divine grace or intercession. A 'sage' (圣人) is an attainable human ideal, not a posthumous title. This reflects East Asian humanism: holiness as ethical mastery, not supernatural status.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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