English word origin

Etymology of shen

Borrowed from Chinese 神 (shén).

2 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

A deity or a spirit, in Chinese folk religion.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Chinese 神 (shén).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mention神zh

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor+",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "zh",
        "3": "神",
        "tr": "shén"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Chinese 神 (shén)"
    },
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "Shen (Chinese folk religion)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "神",
      "神#Chinese"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A deity or a spirit, in Chinese folk religion."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "58a6859da4f54d793c993970ab8780ff31307359aa584d62891277266d2f4238",
      "rawRecordSha256": "53570f95e46e18f7d59acb898426249e6afaa8dd3165274dea9788dbf27134ff",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 871287
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

In Chinese mythology, a shapeshifting dragon or shellfish-type sea monster believed to create mirages.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Chinese 蜃 (shèn).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mention蜃zh

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor+",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "zh",
        "3": "蜃",
        "tr": "shèn"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Chinese 蜃 (shèn)"
    },
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "Shen (clam-monster)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "蜃",
      "蜃#Chinese"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "In Chinese mythology, a shapeshifting dragon or shellfish-type sea monster believed to create mirages."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "e7e2b109bbd41cb131acf688bbd193e50f18c486f92722f87cdc97cf4d80a8cc",
      "rawRecordSha256": "5e82f05fbbfce16edff10eade8b0a6343394ba47224e34de84f420703dd9b4e6",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 871288
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for shen →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-c2hlbg