お守まもり

お

ま

も

り

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

A small protective charm or amulet, typically obtained from a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple, carried for good luck, safety, or other blessings.

神じん社じゃで交こう通つう安あん全ぜんのお守まもりを買かった。
I bought a traffic-safety charm at the shrine.
彼かの女じょはいつもお守まもりをバッグに入いれている。
She always keeps a lucky charm in her bag.

See all 88 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

お守まもりを持もつto carry a charm/amulet
彼かの女じょはいつも合ごう格かく祈き願がんのお守まもりを持もっている。
She always carries a charm for passing her exams.
お守まもりを買かうto buy a charm at a shrine or temple
神じん社じゃで交こう通つう安あん全ぜんのお守まもりを買かった。
I bought a charm for traffic safety at the shrine.
〈事こと〉のお守まもりa charm for a specific purpose (safety, luck, health, etc.)
安あん産ざんのお守まもりを妊にん娠しん中ちゅうの友ゆう人じんにあげた。
I gave a charm for safe childbirth to my pregnant friend.
お守まもりを身みにつけるto wear/carry a charm on one's body
旅りょ行こう中ちゅうはいつもお守まもりを身みにつけている。
I always keep a charm on me while traveling.

Kanji

守guard, protect, defend
御honorable, manipulate, govern

Related words

お札ふだ
お守り is a small portable charm carried on one's person, while お札 is a larger paper talisman meant to be displayed at home or on a gate.
護ご符ふ
護符 is a more formal, written-language term for a protective talisman, while お守り is the everyday word most people use.
魔ま除よけ
魔除け emphasizes warding off evil or misfortune specifically, whereas お守り covers charms for any kind of blessing (safety, luck, exam success, etc.).
札ふだN1
お守り is a general protective amulet often kept in a cloth pouch, while お札 is specifically a paper or wooden talisman from a shrine or temple.

Politeness

守まもりplain
お守り adds the polite prefix お and is the standard, polite way to refer to a protective charm, while 守り alone is the plainer or abbreviated form.

Don't confuse with

守まもり
守り is the plain noun meaning 'protection' or 'defense' in general, while お守り refers specifically to a physical charm or amulet.
絵え馬ま
絵馬 is a wooden plaque you write a wish on and hang up at a shrine, while お守り is a small amulet you carry with you for protection.

Counted with

個こN5
Used for an individual amulet/charm as a small object.

Written forms

お守まもり
Standard kanji spelling; the honorific prefix お is usually written in kana.
御お守まもり
Polite spelling using the kanji 御 for the honorific prefix; less common in everyday writing.
御お守まもり
Abbreviated kanji spelling; mostly seen in formal or traditional contexts such as shrine signage.

Etymology

Honorific prefix お + 守り (noun form of 守る 'to protect'). The word refers to a protective charm, reflecting its origin as something that guards or watches over the bearer.