How to Say "Sacred" in Japanese

神聖な

shinseina

The Japanese word for sacred is 神聖な (shinseina).

The term refers to something that is divine, holy or sanctified.

Meaning: consecrated, dedicated, devoted (adj)

What does it mean word for word?

The term is composed of the kanji 神, meaning god or spirit and 聖, meaning holy or sacred.

神聖な is a na-adjective, which means it requires the particle な when it is used to modify a noun directly.

shinseina

In Japanese culture, a 'sacred' space is often marked by a 注連縄 (shimenawa), a straw rope that acts as a physical boundary between the profane and the 神聖な world.
The kanji 神 in 神聖な refers not just to a single god but to any spirit, including those of nature, mountains and ancestors in the Shinto tradition.
The word 神聖な is rarely used in casual conversation and is mostly found in literature, religious texts and formal speeches.

教会は神聖な場です。
Church is a sacred place.
This sentence is useful for describing a church as a sacred place using 神聖な.
Tatoeba #11529759 by small_snow, translation #10369380 by DJ_Saidez
インドでは牛は神聖な動物です。
In India, the cow is a sacred animal.
This sentence is useful for describing the cow as a sacred animal in India using 神聖な.
Tatoeba #228377 by small_snow, translation #65733 by AlanF_US
インドでは牛は神聖な生き物とされています。
Cows are considered sacred animals in India.
This sentence is useful for stating that cows are considered sacred animals in India using 神聖な.
Tatoeba #3472037 by tommy_san, translation #3473766 by CK
In Japanese culture, temples and shrines are considered to be 神聖 (shinsei) places.
In Japanese culture, temples and shrines are considered to be sacred places.
The teachings of Buddha are considered 聖なる (seinaru) in Buddhism.
The teachings of Buddha are considered sacred in Buddhism.
The traditional tea ceremony in Japan is often regarded as 神聖な (shinsei na) due to its long-standing cultural significance.
The traditional tea ceremony in Japan is often regarded as sacred due to its long-standing cultural significance.
2 more sentences on Tatoeba

Hiyori and Hiroto are visiting an old shrine.

陽葵 Himari

ここは本当に神聖な雰囲気ですね。
Koko wa hontō ni shinseina fun'iki desu ne.
The atmosphere here is truly sacred, isn't it?
大翔 Hiroto

はい、とても静かで心が洗われます。
Hai, totemo shizuka de kokoro ga arawaremasu.
Yes, it's very quiet and feels purifying.
陽葵 Himari

神聖な場所なので、静かにしましょう。
Shinseina basho nanode, shizukanimashō.
Since it is a sacred place, let's be quiet.
大翔 Hiroto

そうですね。失礼のないようにしましょう。
Sō desu ne. Shitsurei no nai yō ni shimashō.
You're right. Let's make sure to be respectful.

Sources

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