祝い

• Reading: いわい
• Romaji: iwai
• Kanji breakdown: 祝 (shuku/iwai) — celebrate, congratulate; contains 礻(deity) radical
• Pronunciation: /i.wa.i/

Meaning

Celebration; congratulation; festivity. An event or gift marking a happy occasion.

A noun derived from the verb 祝う (to celebrate). Often used with the honorific prefix お as お祝い, which is more common in everyday speech. Refers to both the celebration itself and congratulatory gifts. Common in expressions like お祝いを言う (to offer congratulations), お祝いを贈る (to give a congratulatory gift), and 結婚祝い (wedding gift).

Examples

1. 友達の誕生日にお祝いを贈った。 I sent a gift for my friend's birthday.
2. 合格のお祝いに食事に行こう。 Let's go out to eat to celebrate passing the exam.
3. 結婚祝いに何を買えばいいか迷っている。 I can't decide what to buy as a wedding gift.

Usage Guide

Context: ceremonies, gift-giving, social occasions

Tone: festive

Origin & History

From the verb 祝う (iwau, to celebrate). The kanji 祝 combines 礻(示, altar/deity) and 兄, originally depicting a person praying before an altar for blessings.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal