ご祝儀

• Reading: ごしゅうぎ
• Romaji: goshūgi
• Kanji breakdown: ご (honorific prefix) + 祝 (celebration, blessing) + 儀 (ceremony, rite) → celebratory gift money
• Pronunciation: /ɡo.ɕuː.ɡi/

Meaning

A monetary gift given in a decorative envelope to celebrate weddings, births, or other joyous occasions.

ご祝儀 is one of Japan's most important social customs involving money. At weddings, guests bring ¥30,000 in a decorated のし袋 (ceremony envelope) — the standard amount with strict rules: odd numbers only (even numbers symbolize division/splitting apart), new bills only, and proper envelope writing. Getting the amount wrong or using old bills is a serious social faux pas. The financial burden of ご祝儀 season (wedding season in autumn/spring) is a real concern for many Japanese adults.

Examples

1. ご祝儀って3万円包むのが相場だけど、親しい友達だったらもう少し出したい。 The standard wedding gift is ¥30,000, but if it's a close friend I'd want to give a bit more.
2. 秋はご祝儀ラッシュで財布がやばいことになる。 Autumn is wedding gift season and it absolutely wrecks my wallet.
3. ご祝儀の新札用意するの忘れてて、朝一で銀行走った。 I forgot to get new bills for the wedding gift and had to rush to the bank first thing in the morning.

Usage Guide

Context: weddings, celebrations, social etiquette

Tone: ceremonial, respectful

Do Say

• ご祝儀っていくら包めばいいか悩む。 (I'm not sure how much to put in the wedding gift.)
• ご祝儀袋の書き方って毎回調べちゃう。 (I always have to look up how to write on the ceremony envelope.)

Don't Say

• ご祝儀に2万円や4万円は避ける — 偶数は「割れる」ため縁起が悪い (Avoid ¥20,000 or ¥40,000 — even numbers suggest 'splitting apart,' which is bad luck for weddings)

Common Mistakes

• Using old bills for ご祝儀 — new bills are required as they show you prepared in advance for the celebration
• Writing the envelope incorrectly — ご祝儀袋 have specific formatting rules for names and amounts

Origin & History

From ご (honorific) + 祝儀 (celebration/celebratory gift). The custom of giving money in envelopes for celebrations has roots in Japanese gift-giving culture dating back centuries. Modern standardized amounts and envelope styles became established in the postwar era.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional custom, standardized amounts from postwar era

Generation: All adults

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Standard amount is ¥30,000 for friends, ¥50,000+ for close relatives. Regional variations exist in expected amounts.