祟(たた)り

たたり
noun
curse; divine punishment; retribution
religionculture
1. curse; divine punishment; wrath of a spirit or deity
Supernatural punishment or misfortune believed to be caused by an angry god, spirit, or deceased person. A core concept in Japanese folk religion.
これは祟(たた)りだ。
This is a curse.
神(かみ)の祟(たた)りを恐(おそ)れる。
To fear divine retribution.
村人(むらびと)たちは、古(ふる)い祠(ほこら)を壊(こわ)したことが祟(たた)りの原因(げんいん)だと信(しん)じていた。
The villagers believed that destroying the old shrine was the cause of the curse.
2. bad consequences; ill effects; retribution
Negative consequences resulting from a past action, used figuratively without literal supernatural meaning.
夜更(よふ)かしの祟(たた)りだ。
It's the consequence of staying up too late.
無理(むり)をした祟(たた)りで体(からだ)を壊(こわ)した。
I ruined my health as a result of overworking myself.
若(わか)い頃(ころ)の不摂生(ふせっせい)の祟(たた)りが今(いま)になって出(で)てきた。
The ill effects of an unhealthy lifestyle in my youth are showing up now.

Deeply rooted in Japanese folk religion and Shinto belief. A 祟(たた)り is understood as punishment from a supernatural being — a god, spirit, or the dead — that has been angered or disrespected. It is distinct from a deliberate curse cast by a person.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 呪(のろ)い: curse — a curse intentionally cast by a person, unlike 祟(たた)り which comes from supernatural beings
  • 罰(ばつ): punishment — general punishment, not necessarily supernatural
  • 天罰(てんばつ): divine punishment — emphasizes punishment from heaven for moral wrongdoing

Cultural note

Famous examples include the 祟(たた)り of 菅原道真(すがわらのみちざね), the exiled scholar whose angry spirit was believed to cause disasters in Kyoto, and the curse associated with disturbing ancient burial sites.

Related Words

Compare: 呪(のろ)い (curse)
Compare: 罰(ばつ) (punishment)
Compare: 天罰(てんばつ) (divine punishment)
Related: 呪(のろ)う (to curse, to put a curse on)
general
Added 2026.4.5 5:18 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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