神圣
shénshèng · HSK 7
sacred
⛩️ 神圣 = 神 god/spirit + 圣 holy/sage = sacred, holy
神 (shén) is god or spirit; 圣 (shèng) means holy or sage. Stack the two and you get the quality shared by gods and saints: sacred. The reading shénshèng even chains the same -én/-èng vowels, echoing the pairing.
神 — 示 (altar/spirit) + 申 (lightning, phonetic)
神 combines 示, depicting an altar associated with rituals and spirits, with 申, originally a pictograph of lightning streaking across the sky. Ancient people saw lightning as a manifestation of divine power, so 申 contributes both sound and the idea of awe-inspiring force. Together they mean 'spirit' or 'god'.