ぐう聖
Meaning: A compliment meaning 'genuinely a saint' — used to praise someone who is exceptionally kind or admirable.
ぐう聖 combines ぐう (from ぐうの音も出ない, meaning so undeniable you can't even grunt in disagreement) with 聖 (saint). It is the positive counterpart to ぐう畜. Used on forums and social media to describe people, characters, or actions that are so genuinely good they leave you speechless. Often applied to fictional characters, celebrities, or public figures who do something unexpectedly wholesome.
Examples
- あの選手、引退後にずっとボランティアしてるとかぐう聖すぎる。 那个选手退役后一直在做志愿者,简直是圣人。Ese jugador lleva haciendo voluntariado desde que se retiró, es demasiado ぐう聖.그 선수, 은퇴 후에 계속 봉사활동 하고 있다니 ぐう聖 그 자체다.
- 友達がテスト前にノートコピーくれた。ぐう聖。 朋友考试前把笔记复印给我了。真圣人。Mi amigo me dio una copia de sus apuntes antes del examen. ぐう聖.친구가 시험 전에 노트 복사해줬어. ぐう聖.
- 推しがファン全員にリプ返してるのぐう聖だわ。 推的人给每个粉丝都回复了,太圣人了。Mi ídolo responde a todos los fans, eso es ぐう聖.최애가 팬 전원에게 답글 달아주는 거 ぐう聖이지.
Pronunciation
/ɡɯː.se.i/
Usage Guide
Context: online forums, social media, texting
Tone: admiring, impressed
✓ Do Say
- ぐう聖すぎて泣ける (So saintly it makes me cry)ぐう聖すぎて泣ける(圣人到让人想哭)ぐう聖すぎて泣ける (Es tan santo que me hace llorar)ぐう聖 너무 감동이야 (너무 성인군자라 눈물 난다)
- このキャラぐう聖じゃん (This character is a legit saint)このキャラぐう聖じゃん(这个角色简直是真圣人)このキャラぐう聖じゃん (Este personaje es un auténtico santo)이 캐릭터 ぐう聖이잖아 (이 캐릭터 진짜 성인군자네)
✗ Don't Say
- 上司を褒めるのに「ぐう聖」は不適切 (Don't call your boss 'guu-sei' as praise — it's internet slang, not a formal compliment)用「ぐう聖」来夸上司不合适——这是网络俚语,不是正式的夸奖上司を褒めるのに「ぐう聖」は不適切 (No llames a tu jefe 'guu-sei' como elogio — es argot de internet, no un cumplido formal)상사를 칭찬할 때 'ぐう聖'는 부적절하다 (인터넷 슬랭이지 격식 있는 칭찬이 아니다)
Common Mistakes
- Using ぐう聖 in formal writing where 素晴らしい方 or 立派な方 would be appropriate
- Not understanding the ぐう prefix — it intensifies the meaning, not just 'good'
Origin & History
Originated on 2channel's なんJ board in the late 2000s. ぐう comes from ぐうの音も出ない (can't even make a sound) + 聖 (saint/holy person). Created as the antonym of ぐう畜.
Cultural Context
Era: Late 2000s-2010s なんJ culture
Generation: Internet-savvy millennials and Gen Z
Social background: Internet/2ch culture
Regional notes: Used across Japan in online spaces. Part of the ぐう- prefix family originating from なんJ.
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