Need a Translation into Japanese!

[dragoncrone]

I'm writing a story in which the Goddess BenTen appears, and want to use a specific phrase -- in Japanese. I want to refer to one of the characters as 'a priestess (or minion) of BenTen' and it should be accurate.
Please Please Thank You Thank You!!!

[KEishin]

'Pateren' is appropriate for a priest (most of the other words I know refer to Buddhists). 'Nisou' is a nun or priestess (again usually of the Buddhist persuasion). 'No' is the possessive particle. Benten is a native goddess, so that's easy.

"Pateren (Nisou) no Benten" would be the correct grammar. Do you need it spelled out in Japanese?

But I'm not a *native* speaker so please don't take this as gospel.

[dragoncrone]

Now I'm getting somewhere!!
Let me ask you this: what about the word 'ama' ? I found that in our Japanese dictionary. It was given several interpretations, one being the fisherman/woman definition, but it also stated it could mean 'priest' - perhaps leaning more toward Shinto?? If so, would that be "Ama-no-BenTen"?

I've tried and tried to find this online - all the sites provide the translation, BUT it's always written in Japanese...:awilly:

[adazakura]

The romanji for priestess: Nisou

minion is apprently minion in Japanese due to it being an English word they didnt have in their language.

(romanji refers to the japanese spelled in english characters, they have inherited chinese characters the kanji )


depending on what kind of priestess you have the following words may help
Miko http://www.ffmusic.info/images/miko.jpg: medium, sorceress, shrine maiden
Fujo: means the same as miko but also woman, womankind and aid, help, assistance, support

heres an online dictionary thats good http://www.freedict.com/onldict/jap.html

a search on this website for priestess gave two examples one the use of the word for a nun praying and the other a buddhist priestess...http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1C

awkward to find a priestess word as Shinto and Buddhism are the only religions really in Japanese history and so a part of their language as they were isolated for centuries

i suggest an alternative being 'female worshipper of BenTen' or 'female temple maiden of BenTen


on encyclopedia mythica the following is a quote about benten:
The Japanese goddess of love, eloquence, wisdom, the arts, music, knowledge, good fortune and water. She is the patroness of geishas, dancers, and musicians. Originally she was a sea goddess or water goddess, on whose image many local deities near lakes were based. Later she became a goddess of the rich and was added to the Shichi Fukujin. The island of Enoshima rose up especially to receive her footsteps.
Benten is portrayed as a beautiful woman, riding a dragon while playing on a stringed instrument. She has eight arms and in her hands she holds a sword, a jewel, a bow, an arrow, a wheel, and a key. Her remaining two hands are joined in prayer. It is often related that when a dragon devoured many children, she descended to earth to stop his evil work.


it doesnt mention a temple where she would be prayed to so a priestess maybe would be innacurate? how about disciple, the word means follower and worshipper...
the follwoing words are used to meand disciple:
oshiego(student, disciple), monkasei (pupil, disciple, follower), shito (apostle, disciple), montei (disciple, pupil, follower), deshi (pupil, disciple, apprentice, adherent, follower), teishi (pupil, disciple, adherent, follower, apprentice, but also has meanings along the lines of suspension and ban so perhaps not right?)

perhaps i overly complicate issue
the word in japanese for Nisou can be found here: http://spencer.blackmarket.net/dic_word_detail.asp?id=75890
the kanji combination is the word for nun and that of a buddhist priest...

[dragoncrone]

...well, this one anyway.:hahugh: THANK YOU for referring me to the 'freedict' site, wow -- I'll be visiting that one often. Cruise on down and visit me in the Authors Circle, under Candy Taylor Tutt :reading:

[RoseKitten]

Edited 'cause I really am broken....

But, this is still good:

Oh, and by saying "Nisou no BenTen" you're saying that BenTen belongs to the priestess LoL. Make sure that BenTen come before the "no" particle, not after ^_^