電報

• Reading: でんぽう
• Romaji: denpou
• Kanji breakdown: 電 (den) — electricity, electric; 報 (hō/pō) — report, inform
• Pronunciation: /de.m.poː/

Meaning

A telegram; a message sent by telegraph. A form of written communication transmitted electrically.

Though telegrams are rarely used for everyday communication today, 電報 remains culturally significant in Japan. Congratulatory telegrams (祝電, shukuden) are commonly sent for weddings and graduations, and condolence telegrams (弔電, chōden) for funerals. NTT still offers telegram services for these formal occasions.

Examples

1. 結婚式にお祝いの電報を送りました。 I sent a congratulatory telegram for the wedding.
2. 昔は電報で大事な知らせを伝えました。 In the old days, important news was conveyed by telegram.
3. 卒業式で電報が読まれました。 Telegrams were read aloud at the graduation ceremony.

Usage Guide

Context: ceremonies, weddings, formal occasions

Tone: formal

Origin & History

Compound of 電 (den, electricity) and 報 (hō/pō, report/inform). Literally 'electric report,' coined during the Meiji era when telegraph technology was introduced to Japan.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal