絵馬
え
ま
Meanings
1
votive tablet; ema
A small wooden plaque on which worshippers write prayers or wishes and hang at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples. Originally depicted a horse as a substitute for donating a real horse.
I wrote my wish on an ema at the shrine.
Many ema for passing exams are hung up.
Usage patterns
- 絵馬を奉納するto dedicate a votive tablet (at a shrine)
Hoping to pass the exam, I dedicated a votive tablet at the shrine.
- 絵馬を掛けるto hang a votive tablet (on the rack at a shrine)
Visitors kept hanging their votive tablets one after another.
- 絵馬に願い事を書くto write one's wish on a votive tablet
I wrote a wish for my family's health on the votive tablet.