本尊
Meanings
1
principal object of worship; main image
Buddhist term for the central statue, painting, or object venerated in a temple or altar.
The principal image of this temple is Amida Nyorai.
3
the man himself; the person at the heart of the matter
jocular, humorous
Jocular use, often with the honorific prefix ご (ご本尊), referring to the key person in a situation.
The man himself, the one everyone was talking about, finally showed up.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉を本尊として祀るto enshrine something as the principal object of worship
This temple enshrines the Yakushi Buddha as its principal object of worship.
- 本尊に手を合わせるto join one's hands in prayer before the principal image
The worshippers joined their hands in prayer before the principal image.
- ご本尊は〈人〉だthe person at the center of it all is (someone)
The man of the hour at the party was the president himself.