祈る

• Reading: いのる
• Romaji: inoru
• Kanji breakdown: 祈 (ki/ino) — pray, wish
• Pronunciation: /i.no.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To pray; to wish for something earnestly. Used for both religious prayer and heartfelt wishes.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the る row. Used at shrines and temples for religious prayer, and also in everyday speech for wishing someone well. Common expressions include ご成功をお祈りします (I wish you success) and 健康を祈る (to pray for health).

Examples

1. 神社で家族の健康を祈りました。 I prayed for my family's health at the shrine.
2. あなたの成功を祈っています。 I'm praying for your success.
3. 試合の前にみんなで祈りました。 We all prayed together before the game.

Usage Guide

Context: religion, shrines, well-wishing

Tone: sincere

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 祈 combines 示 (altar/divine) and 斤 (axe/to cut), originally depicting a ritual invocation at an altar.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal