goi Back to the route map日本語

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Meaning

doing things for luck

Judging things as good or bad by omens, choosing good signs and avoiding bad ones.

Example

大事な商談の日は、験担ぎに同じネクタイを締めていく。

On the day of an important business meeting, I wear the same tie for luck.

Origin

It is thought to come from engi wo katsugu (縁起を担ぐ, to be superstitious about omens). One theory holds that gen (験) is a contraction of gien, a reversal of engi, but dictionaries treat this as only one theory. Gen originally meant the efficacy of ascetic practice or incantatory prayer, and later also came to be used for signs of good or bad fortune.

Sources