葬儀

• Reading: そうぎ
• Romaji: sougi
• Kanji breakdown: 葬 (sou) — bury, funeral, interment; 儀 (gi) — ceremony, rite, protocol
• Pronunciation: /soː.ɡi/

Meaning

Funeral; funeral service. A formal ceremony held to honour and mourn a deceased person.

A noun referring to the formal funeral ceremony, more official than お葬式 (osousiki, funeral — colloquial). 葬儀 is the preferred term in formal and written contexts, news reporting, and business. Common collocations include 葬儀を行う (sougi wo okonau, to hold a funeral), 葬儀場 (sougijou, funeral hall), and 葬儀社 (sougisha, funeral company). Japanese funerals are predominantly Buddhist, though the term itself is religion-neutral.

Examples

1. 葬儀は近親者のみで静かに行われた。 The funeral was held quietly with only close family members present.
2. 葬儀場には多くの参列者が集まった。 Many attendees gathered at the funeral hall.
3. 最近は家族葬という小規模な葬儀が増えている。 Small family funerals have become more common in recent years.

Usage Guide

Context: bereavement, news, family events

Tone: solemn

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 葬 (sou, bury/funeral) + 儀 (gi, ceremony/rite). Literally 'burial ceremony' — the formal rites for the deceased.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal