おまじない

noun

charm; spell; incantation

A folk-magic charm or simple spell, often used for good luck, healing, or warding off bad things. The honorific prefix お gives it a gentle, everyday feel. Can also refer to a curse in context.

• 祖そ母ぼは風邪かぜが治なおるようにとおまじないを唱となえた。

  My grandmother chanted a charm to cure my cold.

• テストに合ごう格かくするおまじないを友とも達だちに教おしえてもらった。

  A friend taught me a good-luck spell for passing the test.

noun

boilerplate code; magic incantation (computing)

Jocular computing term for code that seems to work like a magic spell, especially boilerplate or code whose purpose is not immediately clear. Often used in programmer slang.

• このおまじないを書かかないとプログラムが動うごかないんだ。

  If you don't write this incantation, the program won't run.

• 初しょ心しん者しゃにはただのおまじないに見みえるコードも、意い味みがわかると納なっ得とくできる。

  Code that looks like a magic spell to beginners makes sense once you understand it.