How to say "blessing" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 祝福しゅくふくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers a blessing as an act: giving one's blessing to a marriage or venture, wishing someone well, or a religious blessing. It also means celebration of a joyous occasion.
- 恵みめぐみnounA blessing in the sense of grace or bounty bestowed, typically by God or by nature. Choose it for divine grace or beneficence rather than for spoken good wishes.
- 福ふくnounGood fortune or luck itself — the blessing thought of as a thing one has or receives, as in talk of luck and happiness. It does not denote the act of blessing someone.
- 幸せしあわせnoun, na-adjectiveThis is really the word for happiness; as 'blessing' it covers little beyond one's happiness or good fortune. For a blessing bestowed or spoken, it is seldom the word you want.
- 御利益ごりやくnounA blessing specifically as divine favor — the grace or answered prayer a deity grants, the kind sought at a shrine or temple. The honorific prefix marks it as respectful language.
Use 祝福 for the act of blessing or celebrating, 「恵み」 for grace or bounty bestowed, 福 for good fortune itself, 「幸せ」 for happiness, and 御利益 for a deity's favor or answered prayers.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 祝福しゅくふくcelebration (of a joyous occasion)
- 恵みめぐみblessing
- 福ふくgood fortune
- 幸せしあわせhappiness
- 御利益ごりやくdivine grace
- 恩恵おんけいgrace
- おかげgrace (of God)
- 恵沢けいたくblessing
- 徳沢とくたくblessing
- 授かり物さずかりものboon
- 祝祷しゅくとうbenediction
- ありがたさvalue
- ありがたみvalue
- 利益りえきgrace (of God, Buddha, etc., esp. as attained through rightful actions, prayer, adherence to one's faith, etc.)
- 功徳くどくdivine reward (for virtuous deeds)
- おかげさまgrace (of God)
- 潤いうるおいblessing
See also
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