Japanese word

祈る

Pronunciation

Romajiinoru

Meaning

  • verbpray

Example

毎晩、神に祈ります。mai ban kami ni ino ri ma su

I pray to God every night.

Illustration for 祈る (pray)

More examples

旅行の無事を祈ります。ryo kō no bu ji o ino ri ma su

I pray for a safe trip.

Core concept

It presents a desired outcome as something earnestly sought through a sacred appeal or deep hope.

Common phrases

  • 神に祈るkami ni ino ru

    pray to God

  • 無事を祈るbu ji o ino ru

    pray for safety

  • 成功を祈るsei kō o ino ru

    pray for success

Similar words

願うnegau: To hope strongly for something or ask for it without necessarily appealing to a sacred power.
拝むogamu: To direct a prayer toward a sacred figure or object, often with the hands together.
念じるnenjiru: To hold a strong hope or wish in the mind, sometimes as a silent prayer.

Definition in Japanese

神仏などに願いをかなえてくれるよう願う。また、物事の実現を強く願う。shin butsu na do ni nega i o ka na e te ku re ru yō nega u ma ta mono goto no jitsu gen o tsuyo ku nega u

Word origin

祈る (inoru, "to pray") is a native Japanese verb, and 祈り (inori, "prayer") is its noun form made from the verb's continuative stem; the verb's deeper origin is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • English uses pray that before a hoped-for event, so pray that someone recovers expresses a wish for that person's recovery.

Other meanings

  • hopeverb

Related words

  • 祈りinoriprayernoun
  • 祈り方inorikataway of prayingnoun

Word lists with this word