How to say "holy" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 聖なるせいなるpre-noun adjectivalThe straightforward attributive way to say 'holy' or 'sacred', describing things like places or beings in religious contexts. Although itself not especially common, it is usually what learners want for this sense.
- 聖いきよいi-adjectiveCovers 'holy' and 'saintly', emphasizing moral or spiritual purity of a person or quality. Rare as a word in its own right, so it is seldom the word you want for ordinary 'holy' descriptions.
- 聖経せいきょうnounMeans 'sutra' or 'holy writings' — the scriptures themselves. It is a noun for sacred texts rather than a general adjective, so it only matches 'holy' in that narrow sense.
- 聖せいnoun, na-adjectiveA bound element meaning 'sacred', 'holy' or 'pure', typically appearing within words rather than standing alone. As a free word it is uncommon, so avoid using it by itself to say 'holy'.
- noun, noun (prefix)The katakana loanword for 'holy'. It is uncommon and marginal, mainly heard in borrowed names, titles or Christian contexts; for ordinary Japanese you will normally want 聖なる instead.
Use 「聖なる」 for attributive religious 'holy/sacred', 「聖い」 for 'holy/saintly' in a spiritual sense, 聖 for sacred/pure meanings, and 「ホーリー」 as a loanword; 聖経 really means 'sutra/scripture', not an everyday 'holy'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
