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鎮守の森 (ちんじゅのもり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

鎮ちん守じゅの森もり

Meanings

1

noun

sacred shrine grove; grove of the tutelary shrine

Refers to the forested area surrounding a Shinto shrine, considered sacred and protected. Often evokes a sense of tradition and spiritual presence.

この神じん社じゃの鎮ちん守じゅの森もりは、昔むかしから大たい切せつに守まもられてきた。
The sacred grove of this shrine has been carefully preserved since ancient times.
鎮ちん守じゅの森もりの中なかを歩あるくと、心こころが落おち着つく。
Walking through the shrine grove calms my mind.

Written forms

鎮ちん守じゅの森もり
Standard kanji spelling; 森 is the common character for forest.
鎮ちん守じゅの杜もり
Alternative kanji spelling using 杜, which specifically means a grove or wooded area around a shrine.

Kanji

鎮tranquilize, ancient peace-preservation centers
守guard, protect, defend

杜woods, grove

森forest, woods

Similar words

鎮ちん守じゅ
鎮守 alone means the tutelary deity or the shrine itself; 鎮守の森 specifically refers to the forest around it.
杜もり
杜 is a character often used for a shrine grove, while 森 is a general forest. 鎮守の杜 is a variant spelling emphasizing the sacred grove.

Etymology

Compound of 鎮守 (chinju, 'tutelary deity' or 'local Shinto deity') + の (no, possessive particle) + 森/杜 (mori, 'forest' or 'grove'). The term refers to the sacred forest surrounding a shrine dedicated to the local guardian deity.