お開き

• Reading: おひらき
• Romaji: ohiraki
• Kanji breakdown: 開 (kai/hira) — open, unfold
• Pronunciation: /o.hi.ɾa.ki/

Meaning

Breakup; closure. The end of a ceremony, wedding, party, or formal gathering.

A polite noun used to refer to the closing of a formal event such as a wedding, party, or business meeting. The お prefix adds politeness, and the word is considered more auspicious than 終わり (owari, end), which is why it is preferred at celebrations. Very common at weddings and formal banquets. Frequently heard in the phrase お開きにする (ohiraki ni suru, to bring to a close) or そろそろお開きにしましょう (sorosoro ohiraki ni shimashou, let us wrap up soon).

Examples

1. そろそろお開きにしましょうか。 Shall we wrap things up soon?
2. 結婚式は夜九時にお開きとなった。 The wedding came to a close at nine in the evening.
3. 宴会のお開きが近づくと、みんな名残惜しそうだった。 As the banquet drew to a close, everyone seemed reluctant to leave.

Usage Guide

Context: weddings, parties, formal gatherings

Tone: polite

Origin & History

From the verb 開く (hiraku, to open), with the polite お prefix. Euphemistically uses 'opening' to mean 'closing' — a common Japanese linguistic strategy to avoid inauspicious words at celebrations.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal