迷信

• Reading: めいしん
• Romaji: meishin
• Kanji breakdown: 迷 (mei) — lost, confused, astray; 信 (shin) — belief, trust, faith
• Pronunciation: /meː.ɕiɴ/

Meaning

Superstition; superstitious belief. An irrational belief based on tradition, fear, or ignorance rather than evidence.

A noun describing beliefs not grounded in reason or science. Japan has many well-known superstitions, such as the unluckiness of the number 4 (四, shi, which sounds like 死, death) and not sleeping with your head facing north (北枕, kitamakura). Common collocations include 迷信を信じる (meishin wo shinjiru, to believe in superstition), 迷信にすぎない (meishin ni suginai, it's nothing but superstition), and 迷信深い (meishinbukai, superstitious).

Examples

1. 夜に爪を切ると親に会えなくなるという迷信がある。 There's a superstition that cutting your nails at night means you won't be with your parents when they die.
2. 科学が発達した今でも迷信を信じる人は多い。 Even now, with science so advanced, many people still believe in superstitions.
3. それはただの迷信にすぎないと思う。 I think that's nothing but a superstition.

Usage Guide

Context: culture, daily life, folklore, science

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 迷 (mei, lost/confused/astray) + 信 (shin, belief/trust). Literally 'lost belief' — a belief formed from confusion rather than understanding.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal