ENGLISH
REFERENCE

kami

n. plural-only
C2 Proficiency UK //kˈɑːmi// ka·mi

n. the spirits or gods that people respect in the Shinto religion of Japan. They can be found in nature, like in trees, mountains, or the wind.

n. the spirits, deities, or holy powers venerated in Shintoism. Refers to a wide range of entities including natural forces, landscape features, and ancestral spirits.


SIMPLE

The local people built a shrine to honor the mountain kami.

CONTEXTUAL

In Shinto belief, kami reside in all things, from ancient cedar trees to the flowing waters of a river.

COMPLEX

The concept of kami is central to Japanese spirituality, representing a sacred essence that connects the human world with the divine forces of the natural environment.

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Japanese 神 (kami, “god, spirit, deity”).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Japanese 紙 (kami, “paper”).

Usage

Often treated as a plural noun in English to refer to the collective spirits of Shinto, though it can also refer to a single deity.

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