Translation guide
The ability to know about future events before they happen, often through supernatural means. In Japanese, this is expressed with specific terms for psychic foresight, premonitions, and prophetic knowledge.
Referring to the paranormal power of knowing future events, often associated with ESP or clairvoyance.
The most common and neutral term for precognition, meaning 'foreknowledge' or 'prediction' of future events, often used in paranormal contexts.
He has the ability to foresee the future.
Literally 'precognition ability', this is a common way to specify the psychic power of precognition.
Her precognition is often accurate.
Specifically 'future prediction', emphasizing the foreseeing of future events. Common in discussions of psychic phenomena.
I had a dream that predicted the future.
Means 'foresight' or 'anticipation', often used in a more general sense but can apply to psychic precognition. Slightly more formal.
His foresight came true.
The English loanword 'precognition', used in specific contexts like parapsychology or fiction. Not widely understood in everyday conversation.
Precognition is a subject of parapsychology research.
A feeling or intuition that something specific will happen in the future, often without conscious control.
The most natural word for a premonition or hunch about the future. It implies a vague but strong feeling, not necessarily supernatural.
I have a premonition that something bad will happen.
An idiomatic expression for an intuitive foreboding, literally 'insect's notice'. It suggests a gut feeling that something is about to happen, often negative.
A feeling of unease or anxiety about the future, literally 'chest noise'. It conveys a sense of impending trouble.
Receiving specific information about the future through a vision, dream, or divine revelation.
Means 'prophecy' or 'prediction', often implying a more concrete statement about the future, sometimes from a supernatural source.
That prophecy came true.
An oracle or divine revelation, often from a god or spirit. Used in religious or mythological contexts.
A divine message or oracle, specifically from a god. Similar to 託宣 but explicitly divine.
予知 (yochi) refers to a clear, often supernatural knowledge of future events, while 予感 (yokan) is a vague intuitive feeling or hunch. Use 予知 for psychic precognition and 予感 for everyday premonitions.
The English word 'precognition' is not commonly used in everyday Japanese. Instead, use 予知 or 予知能力 for the psychic ability, and 予感 for a premonition. The loanword プレコグニション is only appropriate in very specific technical or fictional contexts.
I had a bad feeling about that day, so I didn't go out.
I felt so uneasy that I couldn't sleep.
巫女が託宣を告げた。
The shrine maiden delivered an oracle.
神託によって未来を知る。
To know the future through a divine oracle.