神 meaning and stroke order
God; deity; supernatural; magical; mysterious; spirit; mind; energy
How to write 神, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
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- 9
Meaning of 神
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- god; deity
- supernatural; magical; mysterious
- spirit; mind; energy
- lively; expressive
- look; expression
- (coll.) awesome; amazing
How 神 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Spirit.
礻 gives the meaning and 申 hints at the sound.
Radical: 礻 (spirit), shared by 43 characters on this site.
How to remember 神
The left side 礻 is the altar radical, used for things related to spirits and worship. The right side 申 (shēn) gives the sound, so think of a spirit rising up at an altar: 神 (shén), god or spirit.
神 appears in many words about gods and the mysterious, like 神话 (shénhuà, myth) and 神秘 (shénmì, mysterious), but also in everyday words about a person's energy or look, like 精神 (jīngshén) and 眼神 (yǎnshén). In casual speech it can mean amazing. 他今天很有精神。(Tā jīntiān hěn yǒu jīngshén.) He is full of energy today.
Common mistake: Learners often write 衤 (the clothing radical, with an extra stroke) instead of 礻 on the left, which turns 神 into a wrong character. Also keep the tone apart: 神 is second tone shén, while its sound part 申 is first tone shēn.
Common words with 神
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 精神 | jīngshén | spirit; mind | HSK 3 |
| 神秘 | shénmì | mysterious; mystery | HSK 4 |
| 神话 | shénhuà | legend; fairy tale | HSK 4 |
| 神奇 | shénqí | magical; mystical | HSK 5 |
| 神经 | shénjīng | nerve; mental state | HSK 5 |
| 神情 | shénqíng | look; expression | HSK 5 |
| 神圣 | shénshèng | divine; hallow | HSK 7-9 |
| 眼神 | yǎnshén | expression or emotion showing in one's eyes; meaningful glance | HSK 7-9 |
| 精神病 | jīngshénbìng | mental disorder; psychosis | HSK 7-9 |
| 神仙 | shénxiān | Daoist immortal; supernatural entity | HSK 7-9 |
| 留神 | liúshén | to take care; to be careful | HSK 7-9 |
| 神气 | shénqì | expression; manner | HSK 7-9 |
| 神态 | shéntài | appearance; manner | HSK 7-9 |
| 聚精会神 | jùjīng-huìshén | to concentrate one's attention (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
神 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 神
How many strokes are in 神?
神 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 神 mean?
神 (shén) means god; deity; supernatural; magical; mysterious; spirit; mind; energy. A common word with it is 精神 (jīngshén), meaning "spirit; mind".
How do you pronounce 神?
神 is pronounced shén, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 神?
The radical of 神 is 礻, which carries the idea of "spirit". Dictionaries list 神 under this radical.
Is 神 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 神 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What does 神经 (shénjīng) mean when people use it as an insult?
Literally 神经 means nerve, but 神经病 (shénjīngbìng) is a common rude way to call someone crazy. Saying someone is 神经 alone has a similar teasing or insulting meaning, so use it carefully.
Does 神 always mean a religious god?
No. It often means spirit, mind, or energy, as in 精神 (jīngshén), or facial expression, as in 神情 (shénqíng). It can also be an adjective meaning magical or amazing, as in 神奇 (shénqí).