TongTong
Sign in

圣体 (shèng tǐ) — the Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament (in Christianity)

Definition

Catholic term for the consecrated bread and wine of Communion (the Eucharist / Blessed Sacrament). Appears mostly in church context — 领圣体 means 'to receive Communion'.

noun
the Eucharistthe Blessed Sacrament (in Christianity)

Examples

  • 圣体。
    Xīng qī tiān wǒ men qù jiào táng lǐng shèng tǐ.
    On Sunday we go to church to receive Communion.
  • 圣体。
    Shén fù zài mí sa zhōng zhù shèng le shèng tǐ.
    The priest consecrated the Eucharist during Mass.
  • 圣体。
    shèng tǐ Shì jī dū tú xìn yǎng de zhòng yào bù fen.
    The Eucharist is an important part of Christian faith.

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.

圣shèngholy
体tǐbody

圣 means holy and 体 means body, so the word denotes the holy body.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聖; 圣 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
呈
呈chéng聖shèng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 聖 puts 耳 (ear) beside 呈, which gives the sound; the simplified 圣 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 圣 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.