女神
megami[me̞ɡa̠mʲi]
The Japanese word for goddess is 女神 (megami).
女神 refers specifically to a female deity. In informal conversation, the term 神様 (Kamisama) generally translates to god but can sometimes refer to a goddess.
Meaning: female deity (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of 女 (female) and 神 (deity/god).
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
megami
Did you know?
- In modern pop culture, such as anime and manga, 女神 is often used as a trope to describe a woman of unattainable beauty or purity, regardless of whether she is actually divine.
- The word 女神 can be pronounced as 'megami' or 'joshin'. While 'megami' is a native Japanese reading, 'joshin' is a reading derived from Middle Chinese.
- The concept of 'kami' in Japanese culture is often more about essence and power than the personified gendered deities found in Western mythology.
Examples in context
- 彼女は本当に女神だ。She is truly a goddess.
- メアリーさんは私にとって女神さまです。Mary is a goddess to me.
- その物語には美しい女神が登場します。Sono monogatari ni wa utsukushii megami ga toujou shimasu.A beautiful goddess appears in that story.
- 月の女神を祀る神社があります。Tsuki no megami o matsuru jinja ga arimasu.There is a shrine that worships the goddess of the moon.
- 彼女はまるで女神のように見えます。Kanojo wa marude megami no you ni miemasu.She looks just like a goddess.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are looking at a painting in a museum.
- 蓮 Renこの絵に描かれているのは誰？Kono e ni kakarete iru no wa dare?Who is depicted in this painting?
- 美咲 Misakiこれはギリシャの女神だよ。Kore wa Girisha no megami da yo.This is a Greek goddess.
- 蓮 Renとても美しくて神々しいね。Totemo utsukushikute kougoushii ne.She is very beautiful and divine.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に、素晴らしい作品だと思う。Hontou ni, subarashii sakuhin da to omou.Truly, I think it is a wonderful work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goddess” translations and entries 女神, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 女神, CC BY-SA 4.0.
