1. a god or goddess
神；女神
The ancient Greeks worshipped many deities, such as Zeus and Athena.
古希臘人崇拜許多神祇，例如宙斯和雅典娜。
In Hinduism, Shiva is a major deity.
在印度教中，濕婆是一位主要的神祇。
Deity Meaning（定義、用法、例句與發音）
deity
noun
快速理解
What does "Deity" mean?What are 2-3 core uses of "Deity"?
指神、女神或神聖的存在，常與特定宗教或神話體系相關。
- 1
神祇
EN: A god or goddess.
翻譯: 一位神或女神。
- 2
神性
EN: The state of being divine or a god.
翻譯: 具有神聖或神的本質與狀態。
- 3
特定神祇
EN: A specific being worshipped in a religion, such as a supreme deity.
翻譯: 特定宗教中被崇拜的具體存在，例如至高神。
- 4
神話體系
EN: A divine figure in a mythology, like the deities of Greek myths.
翻譯: 神話體系中的神聖人物，例如希臘神話中的眾神。
小提醒：「Deity」是單數名詞，複數為「deities」。它是一個統稱，可指任何神聖存在，不一定特指基督教或一神教的「God」。
發音（How to Pronounce "Deity" in English）
How to pronounce "Deity" in English?"Deity" US vs UK pronunciation
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Deity" from YouTube Videos
Larry Brilliant: TED Prize wish: Help stop the next pandemic
TED
“There are 20 million people on the road at any time, in buses and trains, walking 500,000 villages, 120 million households, and none of them wanted to report if they had a case of smallpox in their house, because they thought that smallpox was the visitation of a deity-”
(1 out of 2)
Definitions（定義）
What are the definitions of "Deity"?How does "Deity" change by context?
2. the state or quality of being divine
神性；神聖的地位或性質
The pharaoh was believed to possess deity.
人們相信法老擁有神性。
Some cultures attribute deity to their rulers.
有些文化將神聖的地位賦予他們的統治者。
3. the creator and supreme being in monotheistic religions
（一神論宗教中的）造物主，至高神
Christians, Jews, and Muslims all believe in one supreme Deity.
基督徒、猶太教徒和穆斯林都相信一位至高神。
Grammar & Patterns（句型）
What are common sentence patterns for "Deity"?How to make natural sentences with "Deity"?
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| deity + of + [place/concept] | 表示屬於某地或某概念的（一位）神祇 | The deity of the river was worshipped by the villagers. (這條河的守護神受到村民的崇拜。) |
| worship/venerate + a deity | 崇拜/敬奉一位神祇 | They built a temple to worship the local deity. (他們建造了一座寺廟來崇拜當地的神祇。) |
| a major/minor deity | 一位主要/次要的神祇 | In that pantheon, he was considered a minor deity. (在那個萬神殿中，他被視為一位次要的神祇。) |
| the + deity + [relative clause] | 帶有特定描述的神祇 | The deity who presides over wisdom is often depicted with an owl. (掌管智慧的神祇常被描繪成伴隨著一隻貓頭鷹。) |
| pray to + a deity | 向一位神祇祈禱 | People would pray to the deity for a good harvest. (人們會向神祇祈求豐收。) |
用法說明
How is "Deity" different from similar structures?What usage mistakes are common with "Deity"?
deity 與 god 的區別
- deity 泛指任何神祇或神靈，涵蓋各種神話、宗教體系中的超自然存在，是一個較為正式、學術或文學性的用詞。
- god 是更通用、日常的詞彙，尤其常指單一神教（如基督教、伊斯蘭教）中的唯一真神，首字母大寫（God）時特指此意。
- 在談論多神信仰（如希臘、羅馬、北歐神話）時，兩者常可互換，但 deity 更能凸顯其「神性」或「神格」的概念。
- 在現代非宗教的比喻用法中（如「搖滾之神」），多用 god，極少用 deity。
對比例句： EN: The ancient Greeks worshipped many deities, each with their own domain. 翻譯: 古希臘人崇拜許多神祇，每位神祇都有自己的掌管領域。
EN:He prays to God every night before bed.
翻譯:他每晚睡前都會向上帝禱告。
總結建議
在學術討論或多神信仰語境中可使用 deity，而在日常對話或指特定宗教的唯一神時，使用 god 更為自然。
易混淆對比
What is the difference between "Deity" and similar words?How to choose "Deity" vs alternatives?
deity vs god
「deity」泛指任何神靈或神祇，涵蓋各種神話與宗教體系，是一個較為學術或中性的統稱。「God」通常特指一神論宗教（如基督教、伊斯蘭教）中那位至高無上、獨一無二的造物主，首字母大寫時尤其如此。
deity vs divinity
「deity」指的是具體的神明個體，是一個可數名詞。「divinity」則強調「神性」這種抽象特質或神聖力量本身，是不可數名詞；有時也可作為「神」的統稱，但較少指具體的某位神。
deity vs idol
「deity」指真實被信仰的神靈本身。「idol」則指代表神靈的物理偶像、雕像，或引申為被極度崇拜的人事物。在一神論批判多神信仰時，常將對方崇拜的「deity」稱為「idol」（偶像），帶有貶義。
口語用法
How is "Deity" used in spoken English?What is the spoken vs formal difference for "Deity"?
引述
在非正式對話中，當引述或提及他人的說法時，可能會用到這個字。 EN: He was talking about some deity he read about in a fantasy novel. 翻譯: 他當時在講他從奇幻小說裡讀到的某個神祇。
EN:She said, "I don't believe in a single deity, but maybe a higher power."
翻譯:她說：「我不相信單一的神，但或許有某種更高的力量。」
語氣強調
用來強調某人的地位崇高、能力超凡，或帶有戲謔、誇張的語氣。 EN: After he fixed my computer in two minutes, I jokingly called him the tech deity. 翻譯: 他兩分鐘就修好我的電腦後，我開玩笑稱他為科技之神。
EN:Don't act like you're a deity who never makes mistakes.
翻譯:別表現得像是個從不犯錯的神一樣。
停頓填充
在組織思緒或尋找合適詞彙時，可能用作短暫的停頓填充詞。 EN: The ancient culture worshipped... a deity... associated with the sun. 翻譯: 那個古文化崇拜...一位...與太陽相關的神祇。
EN:It's hard to explain—it's like a feeling of... deity-like presence, you know?
翻譯:這很難解釋—就像是一種...神聖存在的感覺，你懂嗎？
正式寫作注意：在學術、新聞或正式報告中，應避免將 "deity" 用於上述口語、戲謔或填充停頓的場合。正式文體應使用精確、客觀的詞彙，如 "god/goddess"、"divine being" 或具體的神名（如 "Zeus"、"Guanyin"），並確保上下文莊重嚴謹。
常見短語
What common collocations use "Deity"?What fixed phrases with "Deity" should I remember?
worship a deity
verb + deity
崇拜神祇
pagan deity
adjective + deity
異教神祇
protective deity
adjective + deity
守護神
the power of a deity
noun + of + deity
神祇的力量
anger a deity
verb + deity
觸怒神祇
major deity
adjective + deity
主神
belief in a deity
noun + in + deity
對神祇的信仰
incarnation of a deity
noun + of + deity
神祇的化身
常見錯誤
What are common mistakes with "Deity"?Which "Deity" sentences look correct but are wrong?
×The ancient Greeks believed in many deities, like Zeus and Hera.
✓The ancient Greeks believed in many deities, such as Zeus and Hera.
While 'like' is often used informally for examples, in formal writing, 'such as' is preferred when introducing specific examples from a category.
×He prayed to the deity for a good harvest.
✓He prayed to the deity for a good harvest.
This is correct. A common mistake is using the plural 'deities' when referring to a single, specific god. Ensure subject-verb agreement: 'The deity is...' vs. 'The deities are...'.
×In some myths, a hero can become a deity after death.
✓In some myths, a hero can become a deity after death.
This is correct. A frequent error is confusing 'deity' (a god or goddess) with 'deify' (the verb meaning to make someone or something into a god). Do not say 'become deified' when you mean 'become a deity', though 'become deified' is grammatically correct with a slightly different nuance.
×They built a temple for their main deity.
✓They built a temple to their main deity.
The preposition 'to' is more commonly and idiomatically used with 'temple' when referring to the god it is dedicated to. 'For' is not incorrect but less precise in this context.
×The concept of deity is central to many religions.
✓The concept of deity is central to many religions.
This is correct. Learners sometimes incorrectly use 'deity' as an uncountable abstract noun. While 'deity' can be used uncountably to mean 'divine status' or 'the nature of a god', it is far more common as a countable noun (a deity, deities). Using it uncountably can sound unnatural or overly philosophical.
詞形變化
What are the word forms of "Deity"?What are tense/participle forms of "Deity"?