Translation guide
The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means. In Japanese, the most common and general term is 占い (uranai), which covers fortune-telling broadly. More specific methods have their own terms.
The broad act of predicting the future or revealing hidden information through various methods, often in casual or commercial contexts.
The most common and general term for fortune-telling or divination. Used for everything from newspaper horoscopes to professional readings.
今日の占いを見ましたか。
Did you see today's fortune-telling?
彼女は占いが大好きです。
She loves fortune-telling.
A more formal or literary term for divination, often used in academic or historical contexts.
古代の卜占の方法を研究しています。
I am researching ancient methods of divination.
Referring to the act of having one's fortune told by a professional, or the place where this happens.
To have one's fortune told. The verb もらう indicates receiving the service from someone.
昨日、占いをしてもらいました。
I had my fortune told yesterday.
To go for fortune-telling. Implies visiting a fortune-teller.
週末に占いに行くつもりです。
I plan to go for fortune-telling this weekend.
A fortune-teller; a professional who practices divination.
Referring to particular techniques or systems of divination, such as astrology, palm reading, or tarot.
Astrology; horoscope. Literally 'star fortune-telling'. Very common in daily life.
星占いで今日の運勢をチェックした。
I checked today's luck with my horoscope.
Palm reading; palmistry. Refers to the lines on the palm and the practice of reading them.
Tarot card reading. Often used in casual or entertainment contexts.
友達にタロット占いをしてもらった。
I had a friend do a tarot reading for me.
The I Ching; a classical Chinese divination text and method. Often used in more traditional or scholarly contexts.
易を立てて将来を占う。
To divine the future using the I Ching.
Fortune slips drawn at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. A form of divination for luck.
初詣でおみくじを引いた。
I drew a fortune slip at the first shrine visit of the year.
Referring to ancient or ritualistic forms of divination, often associated with Shinto or folk practices.
Oracle; divine revelation. A message from a deity, often through a medium.
巫女が神託を伝えた。
The shrine maiden conveyed the oracle.
Ancient Japanese scapulimancy; divination using deer shoulder blades heated over fire. Historical term.
占い (uranai) is the everyday word for fortune-telling, used in casual conversation and media. 卜占 (bokusen) is a formal, academic term for divination, rarely used in daily speech.
Many specific divination methods are formed by adding a prefix to 占い, such as 星占い (astrology), 手相占い (palm reading), タロット占い (tarot), etc.
彼女は占いを信じている。
She believes in divination.
占いは古代から行われてきた。
Divination has been practiced since ancient times.
あの占い師はよく当たるそうです。
I hear that fortune-teller is very accurate.
When I had my palm read, I was told I would live a long life.
Futomani is one of the ancient Japanese divination methods.