(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)()ける。
To receive a divine oracle.
古代(こだい)ギリシャでは神託(しんたく)政治(せいじ)にも影響(えいきょう)(あた)えた。
In ancient Greece, oracles influenced politics as well.
(おう)(いくさ)(はじ)める(まえ)神託(しんたく)(もと)め、神官(しんかん)言葉(ことば)(したが)った。
The king sought a divine oracle before starting the war and followed the words of the priest.

Composed of (しん) (god, deity) and (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)()ける: to receive an oracle
  • 神託(しんたく)(もと)める: to seek a divine message
  • 神託(しんたく)(くだ)す: to deliver an oracle (from a god's perspective)
  • 神託(しんたく)(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()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.