Key Facts
- Hangul: 신 (sin)
- Meaning: god, deity
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Hanja: 神 (神 god/spirit)
- Syllables: one (sin)
- Register: Neutral; the general word for a deity (Christians use 하나님 or 하느님 for God).
- Level: A2
God in Korean: What Does 신 Mean?
신 is a Sino-Korean noun, 神, for a god or deity. It is neutral and general, so it fits any religion or myth. For the God of Christianity, Koreans use specific names instead: 하나님 in Protestant usage and 하느님 among Catholics and in general use. The same spelling also belongs to a native word for shoe, so 신 can mean either.
How Do You Pronounce 신?
One syllable: sin. The ㅅ before the vowel ㅣ is a soft sh-like sound, and the ㄴ closes the syllable. RR writes sin. With 을 it joins as sineul.
How Do You Use 신 in a Sentence?
그는 신을 믿어요.
He believes in God.
geuneun sineul mideoyo. 그는 is he as topic, 신을 is god as the object, and 믿어요 means believes in. RR writes sineul as one flowing word.
고대 사람들은 많은 신을 믿었어요.
Ancient people believed in many gods.
godae saramdeureun maneun sineul mideosseoyo. 고대 사람들은 means ancient people as topic. 많은 신을 is many gods as the object, and 믿었어요 is the past of believe.
신은 어디에나 있어요.
God is everywhere.
sineun eodiena isseoyo. 은 marks 신 as the topic. 어디에나 means everywhere, and 있어요 means exists. The sentence states a belief.
Common Word Combinations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 신을 믿다 | to believe in a god |
| 신화 | mythology |
| 신앙 | faith |
신을 믿다 is the phrase for believing in a god. 신화 is mythology, the stories about gods. 신앙 is faith.
Cultural Note
Korean Christians use 하나님 (Protestant) or 하느님 (Catholic) for God, while 신 is the general word for a deity.
Common Mistake
Wrong: Reading 신 as shoe in a sentence about belief.
Correct: 신 (god) with 믿다; 신 (shoe) with clothing and feet.
The two words are homophones, and the verb in the sentence decides which is meant.
How Does 신 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | Meaning | How to tell it from 신 |
|---|---|---|
| 하나님 | God (Protestant) | The name for God in Korean Protestantism. |
| 하느님 | God (Catholic) | Used by Catholics and in general. |
| 신 (shoe) | shoe | Same spelling, different word. |
Looking at a Mythology Book
Two friends are looking at an illustration of Poseidon.
Hana
이 신은 누구예요?
I sineun nuguyeyo?
Who is this god?
Ben
포세이돈이에요. 바다의 신이에요.
Poseidonieyo. Badaui sinieyo.
It’s Poseidon. He’s the god of the sea.
Hana
그리스 신화에 나와요?
Geuriseu sinhwae nawayo?
Does he appear in Greek mythology?
Ben
네, 이 책에 이야기가 있어요.
Ne, i chaege iyagiga isseoyo.
Yes, there’s a story in this book.
바다의 신 means “god of the sea”. 의 links the sea to the deity associated with it. The dialogue asks about a character in mythology, so 신 is the natural general noun. Neither speaker is stating a personal religious belief.
Where Will You Meet 신?
신 appears in mythology books, fantasy dramas, games, and discussions of belief. 그리스 신화 means “Greek mythology”, and 신화 속 신 means “a god in mythology”. The surrounding words help you distinguish a fictional or mythological discussion from a statement about someone's religion.
In a religious conversation, 신을 믿다 means “to believe in a god” or “to believe in God”, depending on context. Korean has no capitalization to mark the English difference between “god” and “God”. The choice of English translation depends on which deity the speaker means, rather than a change in the spelling 신.
The example 신은 어디에나 있어요 expresses a belief that a god is everywhere. It is a sentence someone can say, rather than a claim all Korean speakers share. The word 신 names the deity; the rest of the sentence supplies the belief about that deity.
Recognize the Noun inside Longer Phrases
바다의 신 is a useful model for describing a deity's domain. 전쟁의 신 means “god of war”. In both phrases, 의 connects a domain or sphere with 신. English puts “of” after “god”, while Korean places the domain first and ends with 신.
신들 means “gods”, with the plural marker 들. Korean does not always require that marker when another word already makes the number clear. In the existing sentence 많은 신을 믿었어요, 많은 already means “many”, so 신 can refer to multiple gods without adding 들.
신화 and 신앙 belong to the same broad topic but name different things. 신화 concerns traditional stories involving gods or supernatural events; 신앙 concerns religious faith. Reading a book of myths does not itself mean sharing the faith described in those stories.
Talk about Belief with the Right Related Word
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 종교 | religion | Names a religion or religion as a topic. |
| 신앙 | religious faith | Focuses on belief and religious commitment. |
| 신화 | myth / mythology | Names a traditional story or the body of those stories. |
| 기도 | prayer | Names the act of praying. |
| 천사 | angel | A different kind of being; it is not a synonym for a deity. |
The religions vocabulary lesson teaches the broader set. In conversation, use the name a person uses for their own God: 하나님 is usual in Protestant Korean, while 하느님 is used by Catholics. 신 remains useful when discussing the general concept of a deity or comparing mythological traditions.
Polite sentence endings show respect to the listener. Choosing 하나님 or 하느님 identifies a religious usage; it is not simply a way to make the general noun 신 more polite. The choice depends on the context and the speaker's tradition.
Quick Self-Test
- In 바다의 신, what does 의 connect?
- Must 많은 신 include 들 to mean many gods?
- Is 천사 another word for a god?
Show answers
- The sea with the deity associated with it: “god of the sea”.
- No. 많은 already makes the plural meaning clear.
- No. It means angel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 신 Mean God or Shoe?
Both. 신을 믿다 is about belief in a god.
What Do Korean Christians Say for God?
Protestants say 하나님 and Catholics say 하느님.
What Is Mythology?
신화.
How Do I Say He Believes in God?
Say 그는 신을 믿어요.
Where to Go Next
More beliefs and traditions are on the culture religions vocabulary page. The next word is angel in Korean. To practise, try the vocabulary flashcard decks or return to Korean words A to Z.