墓

• Reading: はか
• Romaji: haka
• Kanji breakdown: 墓 (bo/haka) — grave, tomb
• Pronunciation: /ha.ka/

Meaning

Grave; tomb; a burial site for the deceased.

A noun referring to a grave, tomb, or burial site. Central to Japanese culture through practices like お墓参り (ohaka mairi, visiting graves), which is customary during お盆 (Obon festival) and お彼岸 (Ohigan equinox). Common compounds: 墓地 (bochi, cemetery), 墓石 (boseki/hakaishi, gravestone). Japanese graves are typically family graves (先祖の墓) rather than individual plots.

Examples

1. お盆に家族で祖父の墓を参った。 During Obon, our family visited our grandfather's grave.
2. 墓の前に花とお線香を供えた。 We placed flowers and incense at the grave.
3. この寺には有名な武将の墓がある。 This temple has the grave of a famous warlord.

Usage Guide

Context: funeral customs, family traditions, history

Tone: solemn

Origin & History

The kanji 墓 combines 莫 (not/nothing, phonetic element suggesting 'dusk') and 土 (earth), evoking the image of a mound of earth marking where someone has been buried.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal