玉たま串ぐし奉ほう奠てん

also: たまぐしほうでん

た

ま

ぐ

し

ほ

う

て

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Meanings

1

noun

offering a sacred sakaki branch

Shinto

A formal Shinto ritual act of presenting a sprig of the sacred sakaki tree (玉串) to the kami. Used in ceremonies and written on offering envelopes.

神しん前ぜんで玉たま串ぐし奉ほう奠てんを行おこなった。

We performed the offering of the sacred branch before the kami.

玉たま串ぐし料りょうの封ふう筒とうに「玉たま串ぐし奉ほう奠てん」と書かく。

Write 'Tamagushi Hōten' on the envelope for the offering.

Kanji

玉jewel, ball
串spit, skewer
奉observance, offer, present
奠decision

Related words

玉たま串ぐし
Refers to the sacred sakaki branch itself, while 玉串奉奠 is the act of offering it.
玉たま串ぐし料りょう
A monetary offering given in place of or alongside the branch; often enclosed in an envelope marked 玉串奉奠.

Built from

玉たま串ぐし+奉ほう奠てん

Written forms

玉串奉奠
- たまぐしほうてん
  Standard kanji form for this Shinto ritual term.
- たまぐしほうでん
  Alternate reading; ほうでん is also used, though ほうてん is more common.
たまぐしほうでん

Etymology

Compound of 玉串 (tamagushi, 'sacred sakaki branch') and 奉奠 (hōten/hōden, 'reverential offering'). The reading ほうてん is more common, but ほうでん is also attested.