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霊獣 (れいじゅう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

霊れい獣じゅう

れ

い

じゅ

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

sacred beast; holy animal

Refers to a mythical or divine animal, often in East Asian folklore, fantasy, or religious contexts. Not an everyday animal.

この神じん社じゃでは霊れい獣じゅうが守まもり神がみとして祀まつられている。
At this shrine, a sacred beast is enshrined as a guardian deity.
伝でん説せつによると、霊れい獣じゅうは森もりの奥おく深ふかくに住すんでいる。
According to legend, the sacred beast lives deep in the forest.

Kanji

霊spirits, soul
獣animal, beast

Similar words

神しん獣じゅう
神獣 also means 'divine beast' and is often interchangeable, but 霊獣 may emphasize a more spiritual or mystical aspect rather than direct divine status.
聖せい獣じゅう
聖獣 means 'holy beast' and is similar, but 霊獣 leans toward a spirit-like or supernatural creature rather than a purely sacred one.

Etymology

Compound of 霊 (rei, 'spirit, soul') and 獣 (jū, 'beast, animal'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally used for mythical or spiritual animals in Japanese folklore and fantasy.