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神隠し (かみかくし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
mysterious disappearance ; being spirited away
Refers to the sudden, unexplained vanishing of a person, traditionally attributed to being taken by gods or spirits. Often used in folklore, fantasy, and metaphorical contexts.
隠かく
し
に
で
も
あっ
た
か
の
よう
に
、
突とつ
然ぜん
姿すがた
を
消け
し
た
。
He suddenly vanished, as if he had been spirited away.
Similar words 失しっ 踪そう 失踪 is a neutral, formal term for disappearance or missing persons, without the supernatural or folkloric nuance of 神隠し.
行方ゆくえ 不ふ 明めい 行方不明 is a common, factual term for 'missing' or 'whereabouts unknown', used in news and official contexts, lacking the mystical connotation.
Etymology Compound of 神 (kami, 'god, spirit') + 隠し (kakushi, 'hiding', the noun form of 隠す). The reading かみがくし is a rare rendaku variant. The concept originates from Japanese folklore where people, especially children, were believed to be taken away by supernatural beings.
