狛犬
Japanese
| Kanji in this term | |
|---|---|
| 狛 | 犬 |
| こま Hyōgaiji |
いぬ Grade: 1 |
| kun’yomi | |
Noun
狛犬 (hiragana こまいぬ, rōmaji komainu)
A closed-mouth or un komainu.
- A lion-dog or shrine dog; a guardian statue seen in temples. Usually found in pairs, one on either side of an entryway, one with the mouth open to represent the syllable a or the start of things, and the other with the mouth closed to represent the syllable un or the end of things (similar to the phrase alpha and omega).
Synonyms
- 犬神 (inugami)
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