How to say "mantra" in Japanese

• 真言しんごん
  nounA Buddhist term for a mantra as a sacred formula chanted in ritual, especially in esoteric Buddhism; literally 'true word'. You will encounter it in writing on Buddhist doctrine and practice.
• マントラ
  nounThe katakana loanword; the general-purpose choice for mantras in yoga, meditation, and Hindu contexts, and for the figurative sense of a phrase repeated like a slogan.
• 呪じゅ
  nounA Buddhist word for a chanted spell or incantation; it also covers the sense 'dharani', a Buddhist ritual formula. Outside Buddhist writing it is seldom the word you want for 'mantra'.
• 明みょう
  nounA term of esoteric Buddhism for a mantra or spell; unless you are writing about Buddhist incantations, it is seldom the word you want for 'mantra'.

For general senses — yoga, meditation, or a phrase repeated like a slogan — 「マントラ」 is the loanword to use; 真言, 呪, and 明 are Buddhist terms for mantras as chanted ritual formulas, and all four are relatively uncommon.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 真言しんごんmantra
• マントラmantra
• 呪じゅdharani
• 明みょうmantra