translation?

[Tamasii Saru]

Does anyone know off hand the Japanese for "Gaurdian angel" or "Gaurdian spirit"?

[Earl Hartman]

The term "Ujigami" is probably closest. An "uji" is usually thought of as a clan (but, more loosely, could be considered a group of people who see themselves as a coherent, interrelated group), and a "kami" is a divine spirit or deity. Thus, "ujigami" means the titular deity of the clan, which protects the clan.

A more general term would be "mamori-gami", or "protecting deity". The word for angel in Japanese is "tenshi" (heavenly messenger), but I think "tenshi" is a more Western concept, and I have never heard anyone say "mamori-tenshi".

Anyway, "mamori-gami" is best, I think.

BTW, is your name supposed to mean "Soul Monkey"? If so, how did you come up with it?

[Tamasii Saru]

Well I got it from my sensei.... Ya see, I used to have a horrible tendency to not stay in the 'pocket' during throws or I would wiggle outta techniques. I'm just naturally flexable and have a natural tendency not to be thrown. Well he used to call me squrriel-boy, but as he needed a name to hang on the wall, the kanji for monkey was more common -- thus I became the "spirited monkey"

[Tamasii Saru]

You wouldn't happen to have the kanji for mamori-gami or ukigami?

[Robert Reinberger]

Let me try! Wouldn't that be:

Mamori-gami http://linear.mv.com/cgi-bin/j-e/S=48/fg=b/inline/nocolor/jap/%bc%e9%a4%ea?TR http://linear.mv.com/cgi-bin/j-e/S=48/fg=b/inline/nocolor/jap/%bf%c0?TR

and

Ujigami http://linear.mv.com/cgi-bin/j-e/S=48/fg=b/inline/nocolor/jap/%bb%e1%bf%c0?TR


The graphics are from Jeffrey's Japanese<->English Dictionary Server.

Regards,
Robert