神 託(しんたく)

しんたく

noun

oracle; divine message; revelation from a god

1. oracle; divine message; revelation from a god

A message believed to come from a deity, delivered through a medium, priest, or other intermediary. Refers both to the message itself and to the act of receiving such a message.

神託(しんたく)を受(う)ける。

To receive a divine oracle.

古代(こだい)ギリシャでは神託(しんたく)が政治(せいじ)にも影響(えいきょう)を与(あた)えた。

In ancient Greece, oracles influenced politics as well.

王(おう)は戦(いくさ)を始(はじ)める前(まえ)に神託(しんたく)を求(もと)め、神官(しんかん)の言葉(ことば)に従(したが)った。

The king sought a divine oracle before starting the war and followed the words of the priest.

Composed of 神(しん) (god, deity) and 託(たく) (to entrust, to commission). Frequently encountered in discussions of ancient Greek religion (the Oracle at Delphi), the Bible, and Japanese mythology.

Common collocations

神託(しんたく)を受(う)ける: to receive an oracle
神託(しんたく)を求(もと)める: to seek a divine message
神託(しんたく)を下(くだ)す: to deliver an oracle (from a god's perspective)
神託(しんたく)に従(したが)う: to follow a divine oracle

Similar words

託宣(たくせん): oracle; divine proclamation — close synonym, slightly more formal
お告(つ)げ: divine revelation; message from heaven — more colloquial, used in everyday Japanese
啓示(けいじ): revelation; divine disclosure — specifically the Christian concept
予言(よげん): prophecy; prediction — broader, not necessarily from a deity

Do not confuse with 信託(しんたく) (trust, as in financial trust), which is a homophone with different kanji.

Related Words

Compare: 予言(よげん) (prophecy)

general

Added 2026.4.8 23:20 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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