Archaic term used by early Japanese Christians (Kirishitan) to refer to the Christian God, borrowed from Latin 'Deus'. Not used in modern Japanese; the modern term is 神 (かみ) or デウス.
The standard modern Japanese word for God or gods, used in both Shinto and general contexts. ダイウス is specifically the Christian God in early Japanese Christianity.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin 'Deus' (God) during the 16th-17th century Christian mission in Japan. The spelling ダイウス reflects the historical Japanese adaptation of the Latin pronunciation.
