神
gods · mind · soul
Details
Description
God/Divine - represents the sacred, spiritual realm and divine beings.
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
Spirit radical + speak
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of altar and lightning. Sacredness of lightning striking altar.
Symbolism
Divinity, spirit, supernatural being. Represents Japan's eight million gods and spiritual world.
Spiritual Meaning
In Shinto, represents sacred power dwelling in all things. Center of nature worship as eight million gods, receiving prayers and gratitude.
Anime & Manga
Games
大神
Okami
Japanese-style action controlling a white wolf, incarnation of Amaterasu
View on Amazon →真・女神転生
Shin Megami Tensei
RPG where you negotiate with gods and demons worldwide to make them allies
View on Amazon →ゼルダの伝説
The Legend of Zelda
Action RPG rich in mythological elements including the legend of three goddesses
View on Amazon →Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
怪力乱神
かいりょくらんしん
supernatural things; unnatural phenomena; spirits and demons; supernatural things
心神耗弱
しんしんこうじゃく
diminished capacity; diminished responsibility; legally unaccountable (e.g. due to mental illness, drugs, alcohol, etc.); diminished capacity
神出鬼没
しんしゅつきぼつ
appearing in unexpected places and at unexpected moments; elusive; phantom; appearing in unexpected places and at unexpected moments
天地神明
てんちしんめい
the gods of heaven and earth; the gods of heaven and earth
天佑神助
てんゆうしんじょ
divine grace; God's help; divine grace
天神地祇
てんしんちぎ
gods of heaven and earth; gods of heaven and earth
神色自若
しんしょくじじゃく
perfect composure; calm and collected; perfect composure
心神喪失
しんしんそうしつ
of unsound mind; of unsound mind
精神一到
せいしんいっとう
concentration of mind; mental concentration (on some task); concentration of mind
精神統一
せいしんとういつ
concentration of mind; mental concentration (on some task); concentration of mind
牛鬼蛇神
ぎゅうきだしん
wicked and perverse; weird and incoherent; wicked and perverse
神韻縹渺
しんいんひょうびょう
(a work of art being) sublime; transcendent; (a work of art being) sublime
神機妙算
しんきみょうさん
inscrutable stratagem; ingenious scheme; inscrutable stratagem
神算鬼謀
しんさんきぼう
inscrutable stratagem; ingenious scheme; inscrutable stratagem
神仏混淆
しんぶつこんこう
synthesis of Shintoism and Buddhism; synthesis of Shintoism and Buddhism
四神相応
しじんそうおう
an ideal topography for the four Taoist gods, with a river in the east, a broad avenue in the west, a basin in the south, and a hill in the north; an ideal topography for the four Taoist gods, with a river in the east, a broad avenue in the west, a basin in the south, and a hill in the north
盟神探湯
めいしんたんとう
trial by hot water; putting a person's hand in boiling water to determine their guilt or innocence (with the belief that the innocent would not be scalded); trial by hot water
Proverbs & Idioms
神は細部に宿る
かみはさいぶにやどる
God dwells in the details
Excellence lies in attention to small things
触らぬ神に祟りなし
さわらぬかみにたたりなし
A god you don't touch won't curse you
Don't stir up trouble; let sleeping dogs lie
Poetry
ちはやぶる 神代もきかず 竜田川 からくれなゐに 水くくるとは
Poem #17 from Hyakunin Isshu
このたびは ぬさもとりあへず 手向山 紅葉のにしき 神のまにまに
Poem #24 from Hyakunin Isshu
Related Figures
神武天皇
The legendary first Emperor of Japan, said to be a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu.