終活

• 読み: しゅうかつ
• ローマ字: shūkatsu
• 漢字の分解: 終 (end) + 活 (activity/life) → end-of-life activities
• 発音: /ɕuː.ka.tsu/

意味

End-of-life planning — preparing for death by organising one's affairs, possessions, and funeral wishes while still healthy.

A modern coinage combining 終 (end) and 活 (activity), modelled after the pattern of 就活 (job hunting). 終活 reflects Japan's ageing society and the growing desire to plan one's final chapter proactively. Activities include writing an エンディングノート (ending note), decluttering possessions, choosing a grave, and discussing wishes with family. Once taboo, death planning has become a mainstream and even positive concept.

例文

1. 母が終活始めて断捨離しまくってる。
2. まだ若いけど終活ノート書いてみたら意外と考えさせられた。
3. 終活セミナーに参加したら同年代の人がたくさんいた。

使い方ガイド

場面: family, ageing society, lifestyle media

トーン: practical, reflective

正しい言い方

• 元気なうちに終活始めるのは大事だよ (It's important to start end-of-life planning while you're still healthy)
• 終活って前向きな活動だと思う (I think shuukatsu is actually a positive activity)

避ける言い方

• 年配の方に冗談で「終活した？」は配慮がない (Joking 'have you done your end-of-life planning?' to an older person is thoughtless)

よくある間違い

• Confusing 終活 (shūkatsu, end-of-life planning) with 就活 (shūkatsu, job hunting) — identical pronunciation but completely different meanings
• Assuming it is morbid or negative — modern 終活 is seen as empowering and responsible

起源と歴史

Coined around 2009, modelled on 就活 (shūkatsu, job hunting). The term gained mainstream acceptance as Japan's super-ageing society made end-of-life planning a practical necessity and a cultural conversation.

文化的背景

時代: Coined around 2009, mainstream by mid-2010s

世代: Primarily 50s and above, but gaining recognition among younger adults

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. Reflects the realities of Japan's super-ageing society.