葬礼

• Pinyin: zàng lǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 葬 = burial; 礼 = 礻+ 豊 (rite/ceremony)

Meaning

Funeral; burial ceremony. The formal ritual held to mourn and inter a deceased person.

Covers the entire funeral event including memorial service, procession, and burial. 举行葬礼 (to hold a funeral), 出席葬礼 (to attend a funeral), 国葬 (state funeral). More specific than 丧事 (funeral affairs/mourning matters) and more formal than 后事 (posthumous arrangements). Used in news, formal speech, and literature.

Examples

1. 亲友们从各地赶来，参加这位德高望重的老教授的葬礼，为他送最后一程。 Family and friends traveled from all over to attend the funeral of the highly respected elderly professor and see him off on his final journey.
2. 葬礼在肃穆的气氛中进行，与会者无不沉浸在深深的悲痛与不舍之中。 The funeral was held in a solemn atmosphere, and everyone present was immersed in deep grief and reluctance to say goodbye.
3. 政府为这位为国家做出重大贡献的科学家举行了隆重的国家葬礼。 The government held a grand state funeral for the scientist who made major contributions to the country.

Usage Guide

Context: funerals, obituaries, social customs, news reporting

Tone: solemn

Do Say

• 家属决定为老人举行一场低调而庄重的葬礼，谢绝外界的探访与慰问。(The family decided to hold a quiet but dignified funeral for the elderly person, declining outside visitors and condolences.)
• 全国各地的民众自发聚集，为这位受人尊敬的作家送别，参加他的葬礼。(People from across the country gathered spontaneously to bid farewell to the respected writer at his funeral.)

Don't Say

• 开心的葬礼 — while some cultures celebrate life at funerals, using 开心 directly to describe 葬礼 sounds contradictory in Chinese; use 告别仪式 or 追思会 if the tone is celebratory

Origin & History

葬 (to bury) + 礼 (rite/ceremony)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal