How to say "goddess" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 女神めがみnounThe default word for 'goddess', covering a female deity in mythology, religion, and metaphor. When English 'goddess' comes to mind, this reading is what you normally want.
- 女神じょしんnounThe same word written identically, but read じょしん and less common; it appears mainly in more formal, scholarly, or mythological writing about female deities.
- 姫神ひめがみnounA less common word for 'goddess', literally carrying the image of a young female deity or princess-goddess; found chiefly in folklore, regional legend, and literary contexts.
- 神女しんにょnounA rare word glossed 'goddess', but it is seldom the word you want for an ordinary goddess; it reads as a specialized or historical term, so prefer other entries in most cases.
Use 女神（めがみ）for the ordinary word 'goddess'; the remaining entries are less common readings or rarer words, each suited only to specific mythological, literary, or technical contexts.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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