聖霊
Seirei[se̞ːɾe̞ː]
The Japanese term for the Christian "holy spirit" is 聖霊 (Seirei).
聖霊 refers to the person of the Holy Trinity in a Christian context.
Meaning: Christian: person of the Holy Trinity (name)
How do you pronounce it?
Seirei
Did you know?
- While 聖霊 is the standard term, some Japanese Bibles use 御霊 (Mitama), a word rooted in Shinto traditions describing the spirits of ancestors and deities.
- Depending on the denomination, some Japanese Christians may use the term 聖霊様 (Seirei-sama), adding the honorific 'sama' to treat the Holy Spirit as a highly respected person.
- In Japanese pop culture and anime, 聖霊 is frequently used to describe 'holy spirits' or summoned entities that are not Christian but possess divine powers.
Examples in context
- 私たちは聖霊の導きを求めます。We seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- 神の御霊が私たちを慰めてくれますように。May the Holy Spirit comfort us.
- 聖霊を信じています。Seirei o shinjite imasu.I believe in the Holy Spirit.
- 聖霊の導きを感じます。Seirei no michibiki o kanjimasu.I feel the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- 聖霊は愛にあふれています。Seirei wa ai ni afurete imasu.The Holy Spirit is full of love.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their faith at a church.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵さんは聖霊を信じていますか？Himari-san wa Seirei o shinjite imasu ka?Himari, do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、とても大切にしています。Hai, totemo taisetsu ni shite imasu.Yes, I treasure it very much.
- 大翔 Hiroto聖霊の力は素晴らしいですね。Seirei no chikara wa subarashii desu ne.The power of the Holy Spirit is wonderful, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himari本当にそう思います。Hontō ni sō omoimasu.I truly think so.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “holy spirit” translations and entries 聖霊, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
