Japanese Conversation · Level 102
60 words
Japanese word
祭壇
Pronunciation
Romajisaidan
Meaning
- nounaltar
Example
祭壇の前で祈ります。sai dan no mae de ino ri ma su
I pray in front of the altar.
More examples
その美術館では、古い祭壇が大切に保存されています。so no bi jutsu kan de wa furu i sai dan ga tai setsu ni ho zon sa re te i ma su
An old altar is carefully preserved in that museum.
Core concept
An altar provides a marked focus for worship, often supporting offerings or sacred objects.
Common phrases
祭壇の前でsai dan no mae de
in front of the altar
祭壇に花を供えるsai dan ni hana o sona e ru
offer flowers at the altar
Definition in Japanese
宗教的な儀礼を行い、神仏や聖なる物をまつるために設けた台や場所。shū kyō teki na gi rei o okona i shin butsu ya sei na ru mono o ma tsu ru ta me ni mō ke ta dai ya ba sho
Word origin
祭壇 (saidan, "altar") is a Sino-Japanese compound of 祭 (sai, "ritual") and 壇 (dan, "platform"), meaning a platform for rituals.
Usage tips
- English uses altar in phrases such as "altar rail" and "wedding altar," showing that the word can name both a structure and the worship setting around it.