How to say "spell" in Japanese

• 呪文じゅもんCommon
  nounCovers 'spell' in the magic sense: words recited to cast a spell, an incantation or charm. Think of wizards, rituals, and fantasy stories.
  「なんて言いってるの？」「祝詞のりとも知しらないのか？」「祝詞のりと？」「神道しんとうの呪文じゅもんのようなもん」↗

  "What is she saying?" "You don't even know 'norito'?" "Norito?" "It's something like a Shinto spell."
• 呪いのろいCommon
  nounMatches 'spell' only in the harmful sense: a curse meant to bring someone misfortune. For a neutral or beneficial spell it is not the word — it really means 'curse'.
  のろいはのろい主ぬしに返かえる。↗

  Curses, like chickens, come home to roost.
• 綴るつづるCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbThe verb 'to spell': saying or writing a word letter by letter. It also means to compose text, so think of it as a writing verb, not a noun for magic.
  その単語たんごをどうつづるか私に教おしえてください。↗

  Tell me how to spell the word.
• 魔力まりょくCommon
  nounReally 'magical power': the supernatural force itself rather than a discrete spell. For an individual spell this is seldom the word you want — it names the power behind magic, not the spell.
  彼かれはすべての悪あくから魔力まりょくで守まもられた。↗

  He was charmed against all evil.
• 呪縛じゅばくCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbA narrow sense of 'spell': one that binds or restricts the target's movements — a binding spell. Use it only when immobilization is the point; it is not a general word for spell.

Choose 呪文 for a chanted incantation, 「呪い」 for a harmful curse, 呪縛 for a spell that binds movement, 「綴る」 for the verb 'to spell' letters, and 魔力 only for magical power itself.

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

• 呪文じゅもんspell
• 呪いのろいcurse
• 綴るつづるto spell
• 魔力まりょくmagical powers
• 呪縛じゅばくspell (that restricts one's movements)
• 魔法まほうmagic
• まじないcharm
• 呪じゅspell
• 呪言じゅごんspell
• 陀羅尼だらにdharani
• おまじないcharm
• 禁呪きんじゅcharm
• 続きつづきsuccession (of)