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Definition 2024

結びの神

結びの神

Japanese

Kanji in this term
結 神
むす
Grade: 4 		かみ
Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Proper noun

結びの神 ‎(hiragana むすびのかみ, romaji Musubi no Kami)

  1. (mythology, Shintō): the Japanese god of matchmaking, love and marriage
  2. a euphemism for a romantic matchmaker
  3. (mythology, Shintō): one of the Japanese gods of creation
⇒ 産霊の神 (むすひのかみ, ​Musuhi no Kami)

Usage notes

Although Musubi no Kami and Musuhi no Kami are essentially the same entity in the Shinto pantheon, the Musubi name appears to be generally reserved for the romantic matchmaking senses, while the Musuhi name is generally used to indicate the kami responsible for producing all of existence.

References

  1. 1 2 3 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
  2. 1 2 3 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9

Etymology

Originally 産霊 ‎(musuhi, “motive force, life force”) +‎ の ‎(no, possessive particle) +‎ 神 ‎(kami, “god, spirit”). The musuhi portion is itself a compound of 産す ‎(musu, “to happen, to develop, to grow”) + 霊 ‎(hi, “mystical power”).[1][2]

Musuhi no Kami is one of the kami of creation, responsible for producing heaven and earth and all things. The musuhi (“mystic power of growth”) eventually changed into musubi (“tying together”). The 結び spelling for this portion is an example of ateji.[1] In popular culture, this kami is now responsible for romantic matchmaking.[1][2]

Pronunciation

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