How to say "sanctuary" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 神殿しんでんnounA temple or shrine building, the physical structure of worship. Use it for actual sacred buildings such as a Greek temple or a shrine hall, not for figurative senses of 'sanctuary'.
- 聖堂せいどうnounA hall of worship, especially a church or a Confucian temple. Use it for a consecrated building used for worship; it is not the figurative 'place of refuge' sense.
- 聖域せいいきno-adjectiveSacred precincts or consecrated ground, and by extension something inviolable or untouchable. This is the natural choice for the figurative 'sanctuary', as in a matter being off limits or beyond criticism.
- nounThe loanword, covering the English sense broadly, including the wildlife or nature reserve meaning of 'sanctuary'. Reach for it when no Japanese equivalent feels right or in technical and modern contexts.
- 殿堂でんどうnounLiterally a grand hall, shrine or temple; in ordinary usage it most often appears in the sense of an honored hall, as in a hall of fame. For the plain meaning 'sanctuary' it is seldom the word you want.
Choose 神殿 or 聖堂 for a physical sacred building, 聖域 for figurative protected or inviolable ground, 殿堂 mainly for a hall or hall of fame context, and 「サンクチュアリ」 when you want the loanword, including the nature-reserve sense.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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