神かみ

か

み

Meanings

Refers to a divine being, spirit, or the Shinto concept of kami. Can be used for monotheistic God, polytheistic gods, or nature spirits.

Related words

神かみ様さまN2sense 1
神様 is a warmer, more personal way to refer to a god or God, often used in prayer or casual speech, while 神 is the neutral, more formal term.
鬼き神しん
神 is the general, often benevolent term for a god or spirit, while 鬼神 specifically denotes a fierce or wrathful deity.
主しゅN2
神 is the general word for a god or deity in any religion, while 主 in this sense specifically refers to the Christian Lord in prayers and hymns.
ゴッド
神 is the native, everyday Japanese word for a god or deity, while ゴッド is an English loanword mainly used for stylistic or foreign-flavor effect, often referencing the Christian God.

Opposites

悪あく魔まN3sense 1
悪魔 (devil, demon) is the moral opposite of 神 (god), representing evil versus divine goodness.
魔ま
神 is a benevolent god or divine spirit, the opposite of 魔, which represents evil or malign supernatural force.
サタン
神 represents God, the supreme good force in Christian theology, standing in direct opposition to サタン, the embodiment of evil.

Politeness

大おお神かみ
大神 is an archaic honorific term reserved for a specific great deity, while 神 is the plain, everyday word for 'god'.
神かみ様さまN2
神 is the plain, neutral noun for a god, while 神様 adds the respectful suffix 様 and is the polite form used in everyday speech and prayer.

Don't confuse with

仏ほとけN2sense 1
仏 refers specifically to Buddha or a deceased soul in a Buddhist context, whereas 神 is the broader Shinto or general term for a deity.
紙かみN5
紙 (paper) is a homophone of 神 (god) with completely unrelated meaning, distinguished only by kanji and context.
髪かみN5
髪 (hair) shares the same reading as 神 (god) but is unrelated in meaning, so context and kanji are essential to tell them apart.