海神 (hǎi shén) — sea god | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A deity who rules over the sea, worshipped in many coastal cultures (e.g. Poseidon in Greek myth). Often paired with the honorific measure word 位 in formal or reverent contexts.

noun

sea god

Measure word · 位

Examples

海神。
Gǔ xī là shén huà zhōng de hǎi shén shì bō sài dōng.
The sea god in ancient Greek mythology is Poseidon.
海神。
Zhōng guó de yán hǎi dì qū yǒu hěn duō gòng fèng hǎi shén de miào yǔ.
There are many temples dedicated to sea gods along China's coast.
。
Zhè wèi yú mín měi tiān chū hǎi qián dōu huì xiàng hǎi shén qí dǎo.
This fisherman prays to the sea god every day before going out to sea.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

海神 joins 海 (sea) and 神 (god) to mean a deity of the sea.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

氵每海

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

每

每měi海hǎi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

示示shìgod; deity

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

申shēn神shén

Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Appears in

Mythology & Folklore

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