also: しゅごしん
guardian deity; patron god
A deity that protects a person, place, or group. Often used in religious, mythological, and sports contexts (e.g., a team's 'guardian angel').
The guardian deity of this shrine is the god of agriculture.
As the team's guardian deity, he saved them from many tight spots.
守護神 is a general term for any protective deity (of a person, cause, or place), while 鎮守 specifically denotes the deity tied to a particular locality.
Standard kanji form; the reading しゅごしん is more common in modern usage.
Alternate reading; less common but still encountered.
Compound of 守護 (shugo, 'protection') + 神 (shin/jin, 'god, deity'). The reading しゅごしん is more common, while しゅごじん is an alternative reading.