喪中

• Reading: もちゅう
• Romaji: mochu
• Kanji breakdown: 喪 (mo) — mourning, bereavement | 中 (chū) — during, in the midst of
• Pronunciation: /mo.tɕɯ.ɯ/

Meaning

Mourning period; the period of bereavement during which traditional observances are kept after the death of a family member.

During 喪中, it is customary in Japan to refrain from celebrating the New Year — most importantly, to send 喪中はがき (mourning postcards) to acquaintances in lieu of 年賀状 (New Year cards) in order to notify them of the bereavement and decline New Year greetings. Shinto shrines are not visited at New Year, and festive activities such as parties are avoided. The duration varies but typically covers the calendar year in which the death occurred.

Examples

1. 今年は祖父が亡くなったため、喪中につき年賀状を控えさせていただきます。 As my grandfather passed away this year, I am in mourning and will be refraining from sending New Year cards.
2. 喪中はがきが届いたので、その方への年賀状は送らないようにした。 I received a mourning postcard, so I made sure not to send that person a New Year card.
3. 喪中の間は派手な宴会への参加を遠慮するのが一般的なマナーだ。 It is generally considered good manners to refrain from attending lively banquets during the mourning period.

Usage Guide

Context: death and mourning customs, New Year etiquette, social norms

Tone: formal

Origin & History

Compound of 喪 (mo) meaning 'mourning, bereavement' and 中 (chū) meaning 'in the middle of, during'. The mourning customs institutionalised during the Meiji era drew on older Confucian and Shinto practices defining appropriate periods of grief.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal