五 重(ごじゅう)の塔(とう)

ごじゅうのとう

noun

five-story pagoda

1. five-story pagoda

A traditional Buddhist pagoda with five tiers, commonly found at temples throughout Japan. The five stories symbolize the five elements of Buddhist cosmology: earth, water, fire, wind, and sky.

五重(ごじゅう)の塔(とう)が見(み)えてきた。

A five-story pagoda came into view.

法隆寺(ほうりゅうじ)の五重(ごじゅう)の塔(とう)は日本最古(にほんさいこ)のものだ。

The five-story pagoda at Horyuji is the oldest in Japan.

桜(さくら)と五重(ごじゅう)の塔(とう)の組(く)み合(あ)わせは、外国人観光客(がいこくじんかんこうきゃく)に人気(にんき)の撮影(さつえい)スポットだ。

The combination of cherry blossoms and a five-story pagoda is a popular photo spot for foreign tourists.

CULTURE:
The five stories represent the five elements (五大(ごだい)) in Buddhist thought: 地(ち) (earth), 水(すい) (water), 火(か) (fire), 風(ふう) (wind), and 空(くう) (sky/void). Famous examples include those at 法隆寺(ほうりゅうじ) (Nara), 東寺(とうじ) (Kyoto), and 浅草寺(せんそうじ) (Tokyo).

USAGE:
Also written as 五重塔(ごじゅうのとう) without the の particle. Both forms are common.

RELATED WORDS:

三重(さんじゅう)の塔(とう): three-story pagoda
塔(とう): tower, pagoda

general

Added 2026.3.19 17:26

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