Translation guide
The English word 'incarnation' refers to a living embodiment of a concept, deity, or spirit, or a particular life in a cycle of rebirth. This guide covers how to express these ideas naturally in Japanese.
Describing a person or thing that perfectly represents an abstract concept, like 'the incarnation of kindness'.
This is the most direct and common way to say 'incarnation of X'. 化身 (けしん) means incarnation or embodiment. Attach it to a noun representing the quality.
彼は優しさの化身だ。
He is the incarnation of kindness.
That kid is like the incarnation of mischief.
権化 (ごんげ) originally referred to a Buddha or bodhisattva appearing in temporary form, but now often means a personification or embodiment of something, especially negative traits. It is slightly more literary than 化身.
彼は悪の権化だ。
He is the incarnation of evil.
そのもの means 'itself' or 'the very thing'. Used after a noun, it emphasizes that something is the perfect example of that thing. It's a natural, slightly less dramatic alternative to 化身.
彼女の笑顔は幸せそのものだ。
Her smile is happiness itself (the incarnation of happiness).
生き写し (いきうつし) means 'living copy' or 'spitting image'. It is used when someone looks exactly like another person, as if they are their incarnation. Not for abstract qualities.
彼は父親の生き写しだ。
He is the spitting image of his father (like an incarnation of his father).
Referring to a god, Buddha, or spiritual being appearing in a human or earthly body.
化身 (けしん) is the standard term for a deity or spirit incarnating in a physical form. It is used in Buddhism and general contexts.
観音菩薩は様々な化身で現れる。
Kannon Bodhisattva appears in various incarnations.
In Buddhist context, 権化 (ごんげ) specifically means a temporary manifestation of a Buddha or bodhisattva to save sentient beings. It carries a nuance of a provisional form.
アバター is a loanword from Sanskrit 'avatāra', used in Hinduism for the incarnation of a deity, especially Vishnu. It is also used in modern contexts for digital avatars.
Referring to one of a series of lives a soul experiences through reincarnation.
生まれ変わり (うまれかわり) is the most common term for reincarnation or a specific incarnation in a cycle of rebirth. It can refer to the process or a particular life.
彼は前世の生まれ変わりを覚えていると言う。
He claims to remember his previous incarnation.
転生 (てんせい) means transmigration or reincarnation. It is often used in Buddhist or spiritual contexts to refer to being reborn in a new form.
前世 (ぜんせ) means 'previous life' or 'past incarnation'. It is commonly used when talking about past lives.
前世では猫だったかもしれない。
I might have been a cat in a previous incarnation.
化身 (けしん) is the most versatile for 'incarnation' as embodiment or divine manifestation. 権化 (ごんげ) is more literary and often used for negative personifications or Buddhist provisional forms. 生まれ変わり (うまれかわり) specifically refers to reincarnation or a person as a reborn soul. Use 化身 for general 'embodiment', 権化 for dramatic or literary effect, and 生まれ変わり for rebirth contexts.
English phrases like 'he incarnates kindness' do not translate directly. Instead, use patterns like ～の化身だ or ～そのものだ. There is no common verb 'to incarnate' in Japanese; use 化身として現れる (appear as an incarnation) or 生まれ変わる (be reborn) depending on context.
That monk was revered as an incarnation of Buddha.
生まれ変わり (うまれかわり) means 'reincarnation' or 'rebirth'. It can be used for a person believed to be the reincarnation of someone else, often in a spiritual sense.
ダライ・ラマは観音の生まれ変わりとされる。
The Dalai Lama is considered an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara.
クリシュナはヴィシュヌのアバターだ。
Krishna is an avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu.
輪廻転生を信じますか？
Do you believe in reincarnation (the cycle of death and rebirth)?