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显灵 (xiǎn líng) — to manifest (of a deity, spirit, or supernatural being); to show one's power or presence

Definition

Used only for spirits, deities, or supernatural beings showing their presence or power — never for people. 显灵 describes the entity acting on its own; praying to it would be 显灵's target, not its verb.

verb
to manifest (of a deity, spirit, or supernatural being)to show one's power or presence

Examples

  • 显灵。
    Miào lǐ de pú sà céng jīng xiǎn líng guò.
    The bodhisattva in the temple once manifested its power.
  • ，。
    Lǎo tài pó shuō nà kǒu jǐng xiǎn guò líng, zhì hǎo le hěn duō rén de bìng.
    The old woman said that well had manifested its power, curing many people's illnesses.
  • 显灵，。
    Rú guǒ zhēn xiǎn líng, jiù qǐng gěi wǒ men yí gè xìn hào ba.
    If you truly manifest, please give us a sign.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

显xiǎnshow
灵língspirit

显 means to show, and 灵 refers to a spirit's power, so together they describe a spirit showing itself.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 顯; 显 is its simplified writing.

  • 日日rìsun
  • 絲絲sīsilk
  • 頁頁yèperson's head

For 显, the traditional form 顯 is made of 日 (sun), 絲 (silk), and 頁 (person's head).

Open 显 →

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 靈; 灵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
霝
霝líng靈líng
Same sound today

This note describes the traditional form 靈, not the simplified 灵: 霝 gives the sound, and 玉 (jade) is the meaning part.

Open 灵 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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