神
kami
ja
en
Change language
Translating...
god, deity, spirit, ghost, divine
/kaꜜmi/
Add to My Dictionary
In My Dictionary
+1
A divine being or spirit, and by extension a quality of greatness or perfection used to describe something or someone outstanding.
Examples
「神が宿ると信じられる木がある。」
"There is a tree believed to house a spirit."
「彼女の歌声は神としか言いようがない。」
"Her singing voice can only be described as godlike."
「物語の中で神は人間に試練を与える。」
"In the story, the spirit gives humans a trial."
「祭りでは神に感謝の祈りを捧げた。」
"At the festival, they offered prayers of thanks to the god."
「神は山の頂に宿っていると言われている。」
"The god is said to dwell at the mountain's summit."
Meanings
Examples
「神は山の頂に宿っていると言われている。」
"The god is said to dwell at the mountain's summit."
「祭りでは神に感謝の祈りを捧げた。」
"At the festival, they offered prayers of thanks to the god."
「古代の人々は神を自然の力と結びつけた。」
"Ancient people linked the god with forces of nature."
「神社の祭司は神の声を聞くと信じられている。」
"The shrine priest is believed to hear the god's voice."
「この地域の神は海の守り神とされる。」
"The god of this region is considered a guardian of the sea."
Examples
「彼の目は神のように輝いていた。」
"His eyes shone like a spirit."
「古い寺で神の気配を感じた。」
"I felt the presence of a spirit in the old temple."
「神が宿ると信じられる木がある。」
"There is a tree believed to house a spirit."
「物語の中で神は人間に試練を与える。」
"In the story, the spirit gives humans a trial."
「夜になると神がささやくと言われる。」
"It is said that the spirit whispers at night."
Examples
「彼の演奏は神のようだ。」
"His performance is godlike."
「この絵は神の領域に入っている。」
"This painting belongs to the divine realm."
「神の力で山を動かしたと言われる。」
"It is said that the divine power moved the mountain."
「神のごとき知恵を持つ者は稀だ。」
"A person with godlike wisdom is rare."
「その技術は神の領域だ。」
"That technology is in the divine realm."
Examples
「彼はサッカー界の神だ。」
"He is the god of the soccer world."
「この料理は神レベルだ。」
"This dish is at a godlike level."
「あの選手は神のように走る。」
"That athlete runs like a god."
「このゲームの攻略は神がやったみたいだ。」
"The game攻略 feels like a god did it."
「彼女の歌声は神としか言いようがない。」
"Her singing voice can only be described as godlike."
Etymology
Borrowed from Old Chinese ʔˤi̯n (reconstructed) meaning “spirit”, the character entered Japanese as the kanji 神 pronounced kami.
FAQ
What does 神 mean in Japanese?
It can mean a deity, a spirit, a divine quality, or be used colloquially to describe something outstanding.
It is pronounced kami in Japanese, IPA /kaꜜmi/.
Is 神 used only for Shinto deities?
While it often refers to Shinto gods, it also describes spirits, divine qualities, and is used figuratively in modern slang.
Only metaphorically, to suggest someone is godlike or exceptional; it does not label ordinary mortals as literal gods.
What is the origin of the kanji 神?
The character comes from Old Chinese ʔˤi̯n meaning “spirit” and was borrowed into Japanese as the word kami.
How is 神 used in modern slang?
It is used to praise something as superb, e.g., “この料理は神レベルだ” meaning “this dish is god‑level.”
What are common compounds with 神?
Examples include 神社 (shrine), 神話 (myth), 神格 (deification), and 神聖 (sacred).
What is the opposite of 神?
In the literal sense, the opposite is 人間 (human) or 凡人 (ordinary person).
How do you write 神 in kana?
It is written in kana as かみ.
Comments & contributions
Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
No comments yet. Be the first to add one.