1.
spirit of words, mystical power of language
The Japanese belief that words carry spiritual power and that what is spoken can influence reality. Rooted in ancient Shinto belief, the concept holds that uttering words — whether blessings, curses, or names — can bring about the thing described.
Common collocations
- 言霊の力: the power of words/kotodama
- 言霊を信じる: to believe in kotodama
- 言霊の国: the land of kotodama (poetic name for Japan)
Cultural note
The concept of 言霊 is deeply embedded in Japanese culture. It explains customs such as avoiding words like 死 (death) or 苦 (suffering) in certain contexts, using different numbers at weddings (avoiding 4 and 9), and the practice of 忌み言葉 (taboo words). The 万葉集 refers to Japan as 言霊の幸う国 (the land blessed by kotodama).