Transcendent describes something that goes far above the ordinary — so far above that normal measurements stop being useful. A transcendent performance is not just a very good one; it is one that leaves the category behind, where you stop comparing the singer to other singers. That is the everyday use, and it is high praise, common in writing about sport, music and art.

Transcendenttranscendent describes something that goes far above the ordinary形容一個東西遠遠超越平常水準 — so far above that normal measurements stop being useful超越到一般的衡量標準都不再管用. A transcendent performancea transcendent performance is not just a very good one不只是一場很棒的表演; it is one that leaves the category behind而是一場把整個類別都拋在後面的表演, where you stop comparing the singer to other singers讓你不再拿這位歌手跟其他歌手比較. That is the everyday use這是日常用法, and it is high praise是很高的讚美, common in writing about sport, music and art常出現在寫運動、音樂和藝術的文章裡。

The second use is religious and philosophical, and it is older. A transcendent God is one existing outside and above the created world, not inside it — the opposite word there is 'immanent', meaning present within the world. Philosophers use 'transcendent' for whatever lies beyond the reach of human experience and knowledge. There is also a rarer noun use, 'the transcendent', meaning that realm itself.

The second use is religious and philosophical第二種用法是宗教和哲學上的, and it is older也比較古老. A transcendent Goda transcendent God is one existing outside and above the created world指的是存在於受造世界之外、之上的神, not inside it而不在世界之內 — the opposite word there is 'immanent'相反詞是'immanent', meaning present within the world意思是存在於世界之內. Philosophers use 'transcendent' for whatever lies beyond the reach of human experience and knowledge哲學家會用'transcendent'來指任何超出人類經驗和知識範圍的東西. There is also a rarer noun use, 'the transcendent'也有一個較少見的名詞用法'the transcendent', meaning that realm itself指的就是那個超越的境界本身。

Because both uses are lofty, the word feels formal and a bit grand; in ordinary speech people say 'amazing' or 'out of this world'.

Because both uses are lofty因為這兩種用法都很崇高, the word feels formal and a bit grand這個字感覺正式又有點宏大; in ordinary speech people say 'amazing' or 'out of this world'日常說話時人們會說'amazing'或'out of this world'。