神社

• Reading: じんじゃ
• Romaji: jinja
• Kanji breakdown: 神 (shin/kami) — god, deity; 社 (sha/yashiro) — shrine, society
• Pronunciation: /d͡ʑi.n.d͡ʑa/

Meaning

A Shinto shrine; a sacred place of worship in the Shinto religion.

A place of worship in Shinto, Japan's indigenous religion. Distinguished from お寺 (otera, Buddhist temple). Shrines are marked by 鳥居 (torii gates) at the entrance. Visitors typically bow, clap hands, and pray. Major events at shrines include 初詣 (hatsumōde, New Year visit), 七五三 (shichi-go-san, children's festival), and various seasonal festivals.

Examples

1. お正月に家族で神社にお参りしました。 We visited a shrine as a family on New Year's Day.
2. この神社は四百年の歴史があります。 This shrine has four hundred years of history.
3. 京都には有名な神社がたくさんあります。 There are many famous shrines in Kyoto.

Usage Guide

Context: religion, sightseeing, culture

Tone: respectful

Origin & History

Compound of 神 (shin/kami, god/deity) and 社 (sha/yashiro, shrine/company). The kanji 神 depicts an altar with divine manifestation, and 社 shows an earthen altar under a tree.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal