soeng6 dai3上帝
Jyutpingsoeng6 dai3
Yaleseuhng dai
Definition
God in Christianity, or the supreme deity in traditional Chinese religion.
- God in Christianity
- the supreme deity governing heaven and earth in traditional Chinese culture
neutralother
How it's used
While the term carries a strong religious connotation in modern Hong Kong, it is also frequently used in everyday speech as an exclamation or to refer to a higher power in a general sense. It is distinct from the more common term 神, which can refer to any deity or even a person with extraordinary skills. Using this term specifically signals the Christian concept of a singular, omnipotent creator.
Examples
May God bless you with peace and safety.
Do you believe there is a God in this world?
Related words
Common phrases
God bless
Common mistake
Avoid using this term to refer to local deities or folk religion figures, as those are typically called 神 or 神明. Using it in a secular context to describe someone with great talent is also less common than using the word 神.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
