Goddess in Japanese
"goddess" is written as one word in Japanese. No single kanji carries the meaning on its own.
The characters below are the ones most often used to write "goddess" and related ideas.
Which one to use
女神 (megami) is a goddess, written 女 woman and 神 deity. There is no single character for it. 姫 is a princess or a noble lady, and it appears in the names of goddesses, but on its own it is a rank, not a divinity.
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 "goddess"
goddess
jo
Pictograph of a kneeling woman.
goddess
ki
Composed of woman and retainer. Retainer's woman.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for goddess?
The most common kanji for "goddess" is 神, read as shin. It means god, divine, spirit. Related kanji: 女 (goddess), 姫 (goddess).
How many strokes does 神 have?
神 has 9 strokes.