お守まもり

お

ま

も

り

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

charm; amulet; talisman

A small protective charm or amulet, typically obtained from a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple, carried for good luck, safety, or other blessings.

神じん社じゃで交こう通つう安あん全ぜんのお守まもりを買かった。
I bought a traffic-safety charm at the shrine.

彼かの女じょはいつもお守まもりをバッグに入いれている。

She always keeps a lucky charm in her bag.

Written forms

お守まもり
Standard kanji spelling; the honorific prefix お is usually written in kana.
御お守まもり
Polite spelling using the kanji 御 for the honorific prefix; less common in everyday writing.
御お守まもり
Abbreviated kanji spelling; mostly seen in formal or traditional contexts such as shrine signage.

Kanji

守guard, protect, defend
御honorable, manipulate, govern

Similar words

守まもり
The base noun meaning 'protection' or 'defense'; お守り is the honorific form specifically used for a charm or amulet.
お札ふだ
A paper talisman or ofuda, often larger and displayed in homes or on gates, while お守り is a small portable charm.

Etymology

Honorific prefix お + 守り (noun form of 守る 'to protect'). The word refers to a protective charm, reflecting its origin as something that guards or watches over the bearer.