創建
そうけん
noun / verb (suru)
founding; original construction (of a temple or shrine)
See also:
壮健 (healthy, robust (homophone))
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 創建する | 創建しない |
| Present polite | 創建します | 創建しません |
| Past | 創建した | 創建しなかった |
| Past polite | 創建しました | 創建しませんでした |
| て form | 創建して | 創建しなくて |
| ている present | 創建している | 創建していない |
| ている polite | 創建しています | 創建していません |
| ている past | 創建していた | 創建していなかった |
| ている past polite | 創建していました | 創建していませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 創建すれば | 創建しなければ |
| Conditional たら | 創建したら | 創建しなかったら |
| Volitional | 創建しよう | — |
| Volitional polite | 創建しましょう | — |
| Potential | 創建できる | 創建できない |
| Passive | 創建される | 創建されない |
| Causative | 創建させる | 創建させない |
| Imperative | 創建しろ | 創建するな |
1.
founding; original construction; establishment
The original construction or founding of a building, temple, shrine, or institution. Primarily used for historical and religious structures, emphasizing the first creation rather than later renovations.
この寺の創建は奈良時代だ。
This temple was originally built during the Nara period.
創建当時の姿を復元した建物だ。
This is a building restored to its appearance at the time of its original construction.
この神社は平安時代に創建されたと伝えられている。
It is said that this shrine was founded during the Heian period.
Composed of 創 ('to create, originate') and 建 ('to build'). Used almost exclusively for temples, shrines, castles, and other historically significant structures. It specifically refers to the initial construction, distinguishing it from later repairs (修復) or reconstructions (再建).
This word is frequently encountered when reading about Japanese temples and shrines, which often have histories spanning over a thousand years. Travel guides and historical explanations commonly use 創建 to indicate when a site was first established.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 創建年: year of founding
- 創建当時: at the time of original construction
- 創建される: to be founded/built
- 創建から千年: a thousand years since founding
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 建立: erection, establishment — specifically for temples and monuments; a near-synonym but more focused on the act of building
- 再建: reconstruction, rebuilding — rebuilding something that was destroyed or deteriorated
- 設立: establishment, founding — for organizations and institutions, not physical structures
- 創設: establishment, creation — broader; used for institutions, systems, and organizations