Translation guide
The practice of predicting the future or revealing hidden knowledge through various methods. In Japanese, the most common and general term is 占い (uranai). Different methods have specific names, and the context (casual, formal, traditional) influences word choice.
The broad concept of fortune-telling as a practice or service.
The most common and general term for fortune-telling. Can refer to the act, the result, or the profession.
彼女は占いが大好きだ。
She loves fortune-telling.
今日、占いに行くつもりです。
I plan to go get my fortune told today.
Used in compound words to specify the method, e.g., 手相占い (palm reading), 星占い (astrology).
手相占いをしてもらった。
I had my palm read.
A formal, literary term for divination or augury, often used in historical or academic contexts.
古代の卜占の方法を研究している。
I am researching ancient methods of divination.
A person who tells fortunes.
Standard term for a professional fortune-teller.
あの占い師はよく当たるらしい。
That fortune-teller is said to be very accurate.
Specifically a diviner using the I Ching (易経). Often associated with street fortune-tellers.
The action of predicting someone's future.
Transitive verb meaning 'to tell someone's fortune' or 'to divine'. The object is the person or the matter.
友達の将来を占ってあげた。
I told my friend's fortune.
タロットで恋愛運を占う。
I tell love fortunes with tarot cards.
Phrase meaning 'to have one's fortune told'. The subject receives the fortune-telling.
昨日、手相を占ってもらった。
Yesterday I had my palm read.
Colloquial way to say 'have my fortune told', literally 'have (someone) look at (my fortune)'. Often used with specific methods.
今度、手相を見てもらいに行くんだ。
I'm going to go have my palm read soon.
The outcome or prediction itself, often in daily horoscopes or omikuji.
Refers to one's fortune or luck as predicted, commonly seen in horoscopes and omikuji (fortune slips).
今日の運勢はどう？
What's your fortune for today?
おみくじで大吉の運勢が出た。
I got a great blessing fortune on my omikuji.
Literally 'fortune-telling result', a straightforward term.
占い結果を信じますか？
Do you believe in fortune-telling results?
Common types of fortune-telling.
Palm reading. Often used with 占い or verbs like 見る.
手相が複雑だね。
Your palm lines are complex.
Astrology, horoscope. Often based on zodiac signs.
Tarot card reading.
タロット占いで未来を予測する。
Predict the future with tarot reading.
I Ching divination. Often used in the compound 易占い (eki uranai).
易で今日の運勢を占った。
I divined today's fortune using the I Ching.
Blood type fortune-telling, a popular personality/fortune method in Japan.
血液型占いって当たると思う？
Do you think blood type fortune-telling is accurate?
占い (uranai) is the act or practice of fortune-telling. 運命 (unmei) means 'fate' or 'destiny' itself, not the act of predicting it.
占いで運命を知る。
Learn your fate through fortune-telling.
It's common to talk about TV horoscopes or casual fortune-telling with friends. 占い can be a fun topic, but be aware that some people may take it seriously.
占いは信じません。
I don't believe in fortune-telling.
彼女は結婚について占い師に相談に行った。
She went to a fortune-teller to ask about her marriage.
I had my fortune told by a street diviner.
星占いで今日は運勢がいいらしい。
According to my horoscope, today's luck is good.