light offered to a deity; sacred light
A lamp or light presented as a religious offering at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples. Often seen in the compound 御神灯 (ごしんとう) or related terms like 御灯 (みあかし).
A sacred light was lit in the worship hall of the shrine.
paper lantern at a performer's door
A paper lantern traditionally hung near the entrance of a geisha house or performer's dressing room, often bearing the name of the performer. This usage is historical and may be encountered in period settings or traditional entertainment districts.
At the entrance of the geisha district, paper lanterns bearing the names of geisha were hung.
Standard kanji spelling using 灯 (light).
Variant using 燈, the traditional form of 灯.
Spelling with ご instead of 御; common in less formal contexts.
Combination of ご and traditional 燈; less common.
Compound of 御 (ご, honorific prefix) + 神 (しん, 'god') + 灯 (とう, 'light'). The reading ごしんとう is standard; ごじんとう is a less common variant.