curse; divine punishment; wrath of a spirit
Refers to supernatural retribution or misfortune believed to be caused by an angry spirit, god, or divine force. Often used in contexts of folklore, superstition, or metaphorically for inevitable bad consequences.
He believes in the curse of his ancestors.
If you do that, you might be cursed.
evil eye; curse of the evil eye
vengeful spirit that brings calamity; cursing deity
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 祟り is also used but less common.
Kanji form; less common than kana, but still encountered.
Derived from the verb 祟る (たたる, 'to curse, to bring divine punishment'). The noun form たたり refers to the resulting curse or retribution. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it is deeply rooted in Japanese folk belief.