also: ほうしゅ
precious orb; jewel
General term for a treasured spherical gem or orb, often with magical or sacred connotations.
Cintamani stone; wish-fulfilling jewel
Buddhist term; abbreviation of 宝珠の玉. A mythical jewel that grants wishes, often depicted in Buddhist art and scripture.
See also: 宝珠の玉
hōju; uppermost spherical part of a pagoda finial
Architectural term; refers to the jewel-shaped ornament at the very top of a pagoda's spire (sōrin).
The legendary precious orb is hidden deep in the cave.
The Buddha statue holds a wish-fulfilling jewel in its hand.
The hōju on the five-story pagoda can be seen shining from afar.
Cintamani stone; wish-fulfilling jewel
wish-fulfilling jewel; mani jewel
Standard kanji spelling; reading ほうじゅ is the most common.
Alternate reading; less common but still encountered.
From Middle Chinese 寶珠 (pawX tsyu, “precious pearl/jewel”). The reading ほうじゅ is the regular on'yomi; ほうしゅ is a less common variant.