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神仏混淆 (しんぶつこんこう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

神しん仏ぶつ混こん淆こう

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Meanings

1

noun

syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Refers to the historical and cultural blending of Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, practices, and deities in Japan. Often used in discussions of Japanese religious history. Compare 神仏習合, which is a more common term for the same concept.

See also: 神仏習合

日本にほんの宗しゅう教きょう史しでは、神しん仏ぶつ混こん淆こうの時じ代だいが長ながく続つづいた。

In Japanese religious history, the period of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism lasted a long time.

この神じん社じゃには神しん仏ぶつ混こん淆こうの名残なごりが見みられる。

Remnants of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism can be seen at this shrine.

Written forms

神しん仏ぶつ混こん淆こう
Standard kanji spelling; 混淆 is the more common form for this concept.
神しん仏ぶつ混こん交こう
Variant spelling using 混交; less common but still encountered.

Kanji

神gods, mind, soul
仏Buddha, the dead, France
混mix, blend, confuse
淆turbidity, mixing
交mingle, mixing, association

Similar words

神しん仏ぶつ習しゅう合ごう
More common term for the same concept; 神仏混淆 is a less frequent synonym, often used in academic or historical contexts.

Etymology

Compound of 神 (shin, 'Shinto deity'), 仏 (butsu, 'Buddha'), and 混淆 (konkō, 'mixing, blending'). The term directly describes the syncretic fusion of the two religious traditions.