圣 (shèng) is a Chinese character meaning “holy”. It is written from 又 (again) and 土 (earth; soil), one above the other, and takes 5 strokes.
Build the character for “holy; sage”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
又 + 土
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，依据 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（又 2 画 + 土 3 画 = 5 画）
Memory aid
A hand (又) reaching down to the earth (土): the holy one who touches the ground where ordinary people stand.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
5 strokes
In real words
- 圣诞节shèng dàn jiéChristmas圣 = shèng
- 圣人shèng rénsage; saint圣 = shèng
Go deeper
All readings
holy; sage
holy; sacred; sage; a person of the highest wisdom or virtue
神圣的；也指品德智慧极高的人。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 圣诞节shèng dàn jiéChristmas圣 = shèng
- 圣人shèng rénsage; saint圣 = shèng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 圣 mean?
圣 (shèng) means holy; sacred; sage; a person of the highest wisdom or virtue.
How do you pronounce 圣?
It is pronounced shèng.
What parts is 圣 made of?
又 (again) and 土 (earth; soil), one above the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，依据 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（又 2 画 + 土 3 画 = 5 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 圣 have?
5. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 圣?
土. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 圣?
Common ones are 圣诞节 and 圣人. The reading of 圣 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.