Word spirit - Kotodama

Japanese: 言霊 - ことだま

〘Noun〙① In ancient times, the spiritual power believed to reside in words. It was believed that the spoken words had the power to bring about a state according to their content. ※Man'yoshu (late 8th century) 13.3254 "The land of Yamato on the island of Shiki is a land where the spirit of things (kotodama) is saved, and it is a land far away."② An oracle from a god with the spiritual power of pre-blessing. ※Horikawa Hyakushu (around 1105-06) Winter "With the unsteady beauty of the spirit of things, I look up at the hill, and even though it is a branch of the tree, I am old enough to pass the year (Minamoto no Toshiyori)"

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

〘名〙① 古代、ことばにやどると信じられた霊力。発せられたことばの内容どおりの状態を実現する力があると信じられていた。※万葉（８Ｃ後）一三・三二五四「しき島のやまとの国は事霊(ことだま)のたすくる国ぞまさきくありこそ」② 予祝の霊力を持った神の託宣。※堀河百首（1105‐06頃）冬「こと玉のおぼつかなきに岡見すと梢ながらも年をこす哉〈源俊頼〉」

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