神秘
しんぴ · shinpi · JLPT N1 · noun
mystery
🔮 神 = god/spirit + 秘 = secret: a secret only the gods could know
神 (shin) means god or spirit, and 秘 (-pi, from hi) means secret. Together they describe something hidden beyond ordinary understanding.
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'.