祝福
shukufuku[ɕɨ̥kɯ̟ɸɯ̟̊kɯ̟]
The English word 'blessing' is translated into Japanese as 祝福 (shukufuku).
祝福 refers to the act of declaring, seeking or bestowing favor. It is used to describe the process of bestowing a blessing, such as a priest performing a blessing or a formal congratulatory message.
Meaning: act of declaring, seeking or bestowing favor (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 祝福 refers to the act of bestowing a blessing, the word 恵み is often used to refer to the blessing itself, such as the blessings of nature or divine grace.
How do you pronounce it?
shukufuku
Did you know?
- Japanese distinguishes between a divine blessing 祝福 and a 'windfall' or unexpected blessing 棚ぼた, which literally means 'a persimmon falling from the shelf'.
- In Shinto tradition, the act of blessing often involves お祓い, a ritual purification, because a space must be cleansed before a blessing 祝福 can be properly received.
- The phrase ありがたい (arigatai), often used to say 'I am grateful', originates from the idea that a blessing is 'hard to exist' or rare.
Examples in context
- 彼に祝福をもらいました。I received a blessing from him.
- 神の祝福を祈ります。Kami no shukufuku o inorimasu.I pray for God's blessing.
- その祝福はとても貴重です。Sono shukufuku wa totemo kichou desu.That blessing is very precious.
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are talking about a religious ceremony.
- 結衣 Yui儀式では祝福が行われます。Gishiki dewa shukufuku ga okonawaremasu.A blessing is performed during the ceremony.
- 健太 Kenta結衣さんは、その意味を知っていますか？Yui-san wa, sono imi o shitte imasu ka?Yui, do you know what that means?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、神様の祝福のことですよ。Hai, kamisama no shukufuku no koto desu yo.Yes, it refers to God's blessing.
- 健太 Kentaとても素晴らしい儀式ですね。Totemo subarashii gishiki desu ne.It is a truly wonderful ceremony.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 祝福, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
