Details
Description
God/Divine - represents the sacred, spiritual realm and divine beings.
Stroke Order
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.
Component Breakdown
Spirit radical + speak
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
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.)
神出鬼没
しんしゅつきぼつ
appearing in unexpected places and at unexpected moments; elusive; phantom
天地神明
てんちしんめい
the gods of heaven and earth
天佑神助
てんゆうしんじょ
divine grace; God's help
天神地祇
てんしんちぎ
gods of heaven and earth
神色自若
しんしょくじじゃく
perfect composure; calm and collected
心神喪失
しんしんそうしつ
of unsound mind
精神一到
せいしんいっとう
concentration of mind; mental concentration (on some task)
精神統一
せいしんとういつ
concentration of mind; mental concentration (on some task)
牛鬼蛇神
ぎゅうきだしん
wicked and perverse; weird and incoherent
神韻縹渺
しんいんひょうびょう
(a work of art being) sublime; transcendent
神機妙算
しんきみょうさん
inscrutable stratagem; ingenious scheme
神算鬼謀
しんさんきぼう
inscrutable stratagem; ingenious scheme
神仏混淆
しんぶつこんこう
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
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)
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
Not even in the age of the raging gods was such a thing heard — the Tatsuta River dyeing its water deep crimson.
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
This journey left no time to prepare offerings. Take instead, O gods, the brocade of maple leaves on Mount Tamuke.
Anime & Manga
千と千尋の神隠し
Spirited Away
Set in a bathhouse where eight million gods gather
ノラガミ
Noragami
Depicts Japanese gods living in modern times
かみちゅ!
Kamichu!
An ordinary middle school girl becomes a god
神之塔 -Tower of God-
Tower of God
A well-known work with 神 in its Japanese title.
七つの大罪 神々の逆鱗
The Seven Deadly Sins: Imperial Wrath of the Gods
A well-known work with 神 in its Japanese title.
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 →Related Figures & Stories
神武天皇
The legendary first Emperor of Japan, said to be a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu.
神坂雪佳
Name contains 神
Kamisaka Sekka was an important artistic figure in early twentieth-century Japan.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 神 mean in Japanese?
神 means god, divine, spirit. God/Divine - represents the sacred, spiritual realm and divine beings.
How do you read 神?
On'yomi: シン、ジン (SHIN, JIN). Kun'yomi: かみ、かん-、こう- (kami, kan, kou).
How many strokes does 神 have?
神 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 示 (show).
Is 神 a good kanji for a tattoo?
神 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means god, divine, spirit. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.