祝う

• Reading: いわう
• Romaji: iwau
• Kanji breakdown: 祝 (iwai/shuku) — celebrate, bless
• Pronunciation: /i.wa.ɯ/

Meaning

To celebrate; to congratulate. Expressing joy for a happy event or achievement.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated as 祝わ/祝い/祝う/祝え/祝おう. Used for birthdays, weddings, promotions, and national holidays. The noun form お祝い is extremely common as both 'celebration' and 'congratulatory gift.' Related: 祝日 (national holiday), 祝福 (blessing).

Examples

1. 友達の誕生日を盛大に祝った。 We threw a big celebration for our friend's birthday.
2. 合格をみんなで祝いましょう。 Let's all celebrate passing the exam!
3. 結婚を祝う手紙を書いた。 I wrote a letter to celebrate their marriage.

Usage Guide

Context: celebrations, holidays, milestones

Tone: warm

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 祝 combines 示 (altar radical, related to divine matters) and 兄 (elder brother, here representing prayer), suggesting ceremonial prayers of blessing.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal