Translation guide
In Japanese culture, amulets and charms are common items for protection, luck, and warding off evil. The most typical word is お守り (omamori), but there are several other terms depending on the form and function.
A small portable charm, often bought at shrines or temples, for general protection, luck, or specific blessings.
The standard word for a protective amulet or charm, typically a small brocade pouch containing a prayer or sacred object. Used for various purposes like traffic safety, exam success, or good health.
I bought a traffic safety amulet.
This amulet is believed to bring academic success.
A slightly less formal variant of お守り, often used in compound words or when the honorific prefix お is dropped.
amulet pouch
An object believed to ward off evil spirits, misfortune, or illness, often worn or placed in a specific location.
Literally 'evil repellent'. A charm or object specifically for warding off evil spirits or bad luck. Can be an amulet, a symbol, or even a plant.
I keep an evil-warding decoration at the entrance.
Specifically for warding off misfortune or calamity (厄). Often used in the context of 厄年 (unlucky ages) or general protection from bad events.
A protective talisman, often a paper or wooden tablet with sacred inscriptions. More formal and associated with esoteric Buddhism or Onmyōdō.
A small item carried or kept to attract good fortune, not necessarily religious.
A general term for lucky charms or auspicious items, often associated with specific symbols like the Maneki-neko (beckoning cat) or Daruma doll.
The beckoning cat is popular as a lucky charm.
While primarily protective, お守り can also be for general luck, such as 金運のお守り (amulet for financial luck).
A loanword from English, used for non-traditional lucky charms, like a keychain or accessory.
This keychain is my lucky charm.
A charm specifically designed to be worn as a necklace, bracelet, or attached to clothing.
Many お守り are designed to be carried in a bag or attached to a phone, but some are made to be worn. You can specify 身につけるお守り (amulet to wear).
I'm looking for an amulet that can be worn.
A pendant, often containing a small charm or religious symbol. Not exclusively Japanese, but commonly used for amulet-like jewelry.
お守り is a general protective charm from a shrine/temple. 魔除け specifically wards off evil spirits. 縁起物 is a broader category of lucky items, not necessarily religious.
You can buy omamori at shrines, but lucky charms can also be bought at souvenir shops.
Omamori are typically not opened, as it's believed the blessing will escape. They are usually replaced yearly, and old ones are returned to the shrine to be burned in a ceremony.
This stone is said to act as a talisman against evil.
厄除けのお守りをいただきました。
I received an amulet for warding off misfortune.
To carry a protective talisman.
金運のお守りを財布に入れています。
I keep a money-luck amulet in my wallet.
This pendant serves as an amulet.