1.
Shinto priest; Shinto clergy; shrine priest
A person who serves at a Shinto shrine and performs religious ceremonies, rituals, and other duties. The general term for all ranks of Shinto priesthood.
神職が祝詞を奏上した。
The Shinto priest recited the ritual prayer.
彼は地元の神社で神職を務めている。
He serves as a Shinto priest at the local shrine.
神職になるには大学で神道を学ぶのが一般的だ。
To become a Shinto priest, it is common to study Shinto at university.
A compound of 神 (god, divine) + 職 (occupation, profession). The general term for Shinto religious professionals at any rank.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 神職を務める: to serve as a Shinto priest
- 神職に就く: to take up the Shinto priesthood
- 神職の資格: qualification as a Shinto priest
SHINTO PRIESTHOOD RANKS:
- 宮司: chief priest — the head priest of a shrine
- 禰宜: senior priest — second in rank
- 権禰宜: associate priest — a junior priest
- 巫女: shrine maiden — a young woman who assists with shrine duties (not technically a 神職)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 僧侶: Buddhist monk/priest — the equivalent for Buddhism
- 宮司: chief priest — specifically the head of a shrine
- 神主: shrine priest — a more colloquial term, often used interchangeably with 神職