召喚する
shōkan suru
To summon in Japanese is 召喚する (shōkan suru).
The verb 召喚する is used in specific contexts: either to summon a person to a court of law or, more commonly in fantasy settings, to summon spirits, demons or magical entities.
Meaning: to ask someone to come (verb)
Which one should you use?
While 召喚する is used for formal or supernatural summons, the much more common verb 呼ぶ is used for everyday situations like calling a friend or calling a taxi.
How does it change in a sentence?
The passive form 召喚された (was summoned) is frequently used in fantasy literature to describe a character who has been summoned to another world.
How do you pronounce it?
shōkan suru
Did you know?
- While 召喚する is used for monsters, the word 降臨 (kōrin) is used when a deity or a high-ranking being descends to the human world.
- The term 召喚 is a loanword from ancient Chinese legal and religious terminology, which explains its stiff and formal feeling compared to the native Japanese 呼ぶ.
- While a lawyer might use 召喚 to bring someone to court, using it for a person in a restaurant would sound as if you are casting a dark spell on them.
Examples in context
- 私は神を召喚しました。I summoned a god.
- 彼は忍者を召喚することができます。He can summon a ninja.
- 魔法使いが精霊を召喚する。mahousukai ga seirei o shoukan suru.A wizard summons a spirit.
- 彼は儀式で悪魔を召喚するつもりだ。kare wa gisiki de akuma o shoukan suru tsumori da.He intends to summon a demon in the ritual.
- 召喚する呪文を間違えてはいけない。shoukan suru jumon o machigaete wa ikenai.You must not mistake the summoning spell.
Example conversation
Two friends are playing a fantasy role-playing game.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮、ここで誰を召喚する？Ren, koko de dare o shōkan suru?Ren, who are you going to summon here?
- 蓮 Ren強力な騎士を召喚するよ。Kyōryoku na kishi o shōkan suru yo.I'm going to summon a powerful knight.
- 陽葵 Himariいい考えね。期待しているわ。Ii kangae ne. Kitai shite iru wa.Good idea. I'm looking forward to it.
- 蓮 Renよし、召喚するぞ！Yoshi, shōkan suru zo!Alright, I'll summon them now!
