厄年

• 読み: やくどし
• ローマ字: yakudoshi
• 漢字の分解: 厄 (yaku) — calamity, misfortune | 年 (toshi) — year, age
• 発音: /ja.kɯ.do.ɕi/

意味

Unlucky year; a critical year in a person's life traditionally believed to bring misfortune and requiring special religious caution.

Based on folk tradition rooted in Chinese numerology and Shinto belief, 厄年 designates ages considered particularly inauspicious. The main 厄年 for men are 25, 42, and 61; for women 19, 33, and 37 — with the 大厄 (great unlucky year) being 42 for men and 33 for women. During 厄年 people visit shrines to perform 厄払い (ritual purification to ward off misfortune). The year before is 前厄, the year after 後厄. Though rooted in superstition, many Japanese people take these observances seriously.

例文

1. 今年は男の大厄にあたるため、近所の神社で厄払いをしてもらった。
2. 厄年だからといって何もしなければ不安なので、祈祷を受けることにした。
3. 厄年の概念は現代でも根強く残っており、多くの人が前厄から対策を始める。

使い方ガイド

場面: folk belief, Shinto customs, life events

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

Compound of 厄 (yaku) meaning 'calamity, misfortune, plague' and 年 (toshi) meaning 'year, age'. The tradition blends Chinese numerological beliefs (certain numbers considered inauspicious) with Shinto ritual practice, established by at least the Heian period.

文化的背景

時代: Heian–Present

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Universal