noun
image of a deity, buddha, or noble
Honorific term for a sacred or noble image. Reading ぎょえい is usually for royalty; みえい is used in Buddhist contexts. The most common reading is ごえい.
寺院で阿弥陀如来の御影を拝んだ。
I worshiped the image of Amida Nyorai at the temple.
宮中には天皇陛下の御影が飾られている。
An image of His Majesty the Emperor is displayed in the Imperial Palace.
Compound of honorific prefix 御 (ご/み/ぎょ) and 影 (えい, 'image, shadow'). The reading variations reflect different honorific prefixes: ご (general honorific), み (often used in Shinto/Buddhist contexts), and ぎょ (imperial honorific).