God in Japanese
"god" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
神
kami
3 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "god". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
神 is the word for a deity, and for the kami of Shinto — countless, local, present in rivers and trees as much as in shrines. 仏 is the Buddha, and by extension the dead. 天 is heaven as a place and as a power, closer to the Western sense of a single sky-god than 神 is.
Top pick
god, divine, spirit
Reading: shin
9 strokes · mysterious, powerful
Where it comes from
Composed of altar and lightning. Sacredness of lightning striking altar.
What it carries
Divinity, spirit, supernatural being. Represents Japan's eight million gods and spiritual world.
Related kanji for "god"
god
butsu · wisdom, dark
Composed of person and not. Not person.
god
ten · mysterious, peaceful
Pictograph indicating space above a person's head. The area above a person (大).
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for god?
The most common kanji for "god" is 神, read as shin. It means god, divine, spirit. Related kanji: 仏 (god), 天 (god).
How many strokes does 神 have?
神 has 9 strokes.