お辞儀

• 読み: おじぎ
• ローマ字: ojigi
• 漢字の分解: 辞 (ji) — words, resign; 儀 (gi) — ceremony, protocol
• 発音: /o.dʑi.ɡi/

意味

Bow; bowing. A formal greeting or gesture of respect performed by bending the upper body forward.

A noun that also functions as a suru verb (お辞儀する/をする). The お prefix is honorific and almost always attached. There are different depths of bow: 会釈 (eshaku, slight nod), 敬礼 (keirei, standard 30° bow), and 最敬礼 (saikeirei, deep 45° bow). Bowing is fundamental to Japanese social interaction.

例文

1. 先生にお辞儀をして挨拶した。
2. 日本ではお辞儀がとても大切です。
3. 深くお辞儀をしてお礼を言った。

使い方ガイド

場面: greetings, business, daily life

トーン: polite

起源と歴史

Compound of the honorific prefix お and 辞儀, where 辞 (ji, words/resign) and 儀 (gi, ceremony/protocol) together mean 'proper ceremonial conduct.' Originally referred to polite behaviour in general before narrowing to the bowing gesture.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal