How to say "religious" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 信仰的しんこうてきna-adjectiveA less common choice for 'religious' with the emphasis on faith: built on 信仰 'faith', it describes something as grounded in belief rather than religion in general, and can also convey 'spiritual'.
- 宗教上しゅうきょうじょうno-adjectiveA less common choice for 'religious' meaning 'relating to religion': from 宗教 'religion' and 上 'in terms of', it frames something as a matter of religion, e.g. something done on religious grounds.
- 宗教的しゅうきょうてきna-adjectiveA less common but general equivalent of 'religious': the adjective from 宗教 'religion', describing things, practices, or attitudes as relating to religion rather than to faith in particular.
- 出世間的しゅっせけんてきna-adjectiveReally means 'unworldly' — transcending the secular world, with Buddhist overtones — so it fits 'religious' only in that otherworldly sense; for ordinary 'religious' it is seldom the word you want.
All four are less common choices: use 宗教的 for the general sense of relating to religion, 信仰的 when the emphasis is on faith, 宗教上 for matters framed in terms of religion, and 出世間的 only for the unworldly, transcendent sense.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
