Definition
上人 (pronounced shǎng in this usage) is a noun with several specialized meanings: in Buddhism, it is a title for a senior or eminent monk; in some Chinese dialects (topolects), it refers to one's parents or grandparents; it can also mean 'saint' in religious contexts. The pronunciation shǎng differs from the common reading shàng of 上. This word is highly context-dependent and limited to specific registers.
noun
senior Buddhist monk (used as a title)saintholy person
n.
(noun, dialectal) parents or grandparents
Examples
- 上人。Zhè wèi shǎng shì yí wèi zhùmíng de chánshī.This senior monk is a famous Zen master.
- ，“上人”。Zài wǒmen jiāxiānghuà lǐ, “shǎng” zhǐ de shì fùmǔ.In our hometown dialect, "shǎng" refers to parents.
- 上人，。Tā bèi xìntú men chēng wéi shǎng, yīnwèi tā yìshēng xíng shàn.He is called a saint by believers because he did good deeds his whole life.
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