1.
temple; shrine; sacred hall
A building or hall dedicated to the worship of a deity or deities. Used for both foreign temples (Greek, Egyptian, etc.) and the main hall of a Shinto shrine.
ギリシャの神殿を訪れた。
I visited a Greek temple.
古代エジプトの神殿が発掘された。
An ancient Egyptian temple was excavated.
神殿の柱には美しい彫刻が施されていた。
The columns of the temple were adorned with beautiful carvings.
神殿 refers to a building dedicated to enshrining or worshipping a deity. It covers both foreign temples and the sacred inner buildings of Shinto shrines.
COMMON USES:
- パルテノン神殿: the Parthenon
- ルクソール神殿: Luxor Temple
- 神社の神殿: the sacred hall of a Shinto shrine
RELATED TERMS:
- 神社: Shinto shrine (the whole complex)
- 本殿: main hall of a shrine (where the deity resides)
- 寺/寺院: Buddhist temple
- 教会: church
USAGE:
For ancient foreign temples (Greek, Egyptian, Roman), 神殿 is the standard translation. In a Shinto context, it refers specifically to the innermost building where the deity is enshrined, not the shrine grounds as a whole.