英霊
え
い
れ
い
Meanings
1
spirit of the war dead; soul of a fallen soldier
Honorific term for the spirits of those who died in war, especially soldiers. Commonly used in memorial contexts such as Yasukuni Shrine.
Many spirits of the war dead are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine.
The prime minister paid respects to the fallen soldiers.
2
person of outstanding talent; genius
obsolete term
Obsolete meaning; formerly used to refer to a highly gifted or talented person. Not used in modern Japanese.
In old texts, 英霊 can refer to a person of outstanding talent.
Usage patterns
- 英霊を祀るto enshrine the spirits of the war dead
Many spirits of the war dead are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine.
- 英霊に感謝するto give thanks to the spirits of the war dead
Every year on this day, a ceremony is held to give thanks to the war dead.
- 英霊となるto become a spirit of the war dead (i.e., to die in battle)
Many young men became war dead in the fighting.