神様
かみさま · kamisama · JLPT N2 · noun
god
⛩️ かみ (kami, god) + さま (sama, honorific): the 'sama' suffix makes it respectful, like 'honored god'
神 (kami) means god or spirit; さま is a polite title suffix. Together they form the respectful term for a deity.
神 — 示 (altar/spirit) + 申 (lightning, phonetic)
神 combines 示, depicting an altar associated with rituals and spirits, with 申, originally a pictograph of lightning streaking across the sky. Ancient people saw lightning as a manifestation of divine power, so 申 contributes both sound and the idea of awe-inspiring force. Together they mean 'spirit' or 'god'.