神
kami
God / Spirit / Deity
Considering 神 (God / Spirit / Deity) as a kanji tattoo? Here's what it actually means to native Japanese speakers — and whether it's a safe choice.
Cultural Assessment
Most Japanese speakers will read this as sacred and spiritually charged — but the first question that follows is usually "Which god?" The word 神 (kami) in Japanese does not map cleanly onto the Western concept of God. In Shinto belief, there are yaoyorozu no kami (八百万の神) — eight million gods — residing in nature, objects, ancestors, and forces. ...
How Japanese people actually react
Related Words & Alternatives
Etymology & History
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Get the complete kanji tattoo assessment for 神 (God / Spirit / Deity) — including how Japanese people actually react, related words, and etymology.