1.
prayer for passing an exam; wish for exam success
A prayer or wish offered at a shrine or temple to pass an entrance exam or certification test. Expressed through visiting shrines, buying good-luck charms, or writing on votive tablets.
合格祈願のお守りをもらった。
I received a good-luck charm for passing exams.
受験前日に合格祈願に神社へ行った。
The day before the exam, I went to a shrine to pray for success.
合格祈願の絵馬に志望校の名前を書いて奉納した。
I wrote the name of the school I hoped to attend on a votive tablet for exam success and dedicated it.
Combines 合格 (passing, success) + 祈願 (prayer, supplication). A very common ritual for Japanese students, especially those taking university entrance exams.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 合格祈願のお守り: good-luck charm for exam success
- 合格祈願に参拝する: to visit a shrine to pray for success
- 合格祈願の絵馬: votive tablet wishing for exam success
CULTURAL NOTE:
Shrines dedicated to Tenjin (天神), the deified scholar 菅原道真, are popular destinations for students seeking blessings before exams.