お祝い

• Reading: おいわい
• Romaji: oiwai
• Kanji breakdown: 祝 (shuku/iwa) — celebrate, congratulate
• Pronunciation: /o.i.wa.i/

Meaning

Congratulations; celebration; a celebratory gift. Expressing joy for a happy occasion.

The honorific form of 祝い (iwai, celebration). Used both as a noun meaning celebration/congratulatory gift and as a greeting. Common occasions include birthdays, weddings, graduations, and New Year. お祝いを贈る means to give a celebratory gift.

Examples

1. 結婚のお祝いに花を贈りました。 I sent flowers as a wedding gift.
2. お祝いの言葉をありがとうございます。 Thank you for the kind words of congratulations.
3. 友達の合格のお祝いをしました。 I celebrated my friend's passing the exam.

Usage Guide

Context: celebrations, gift-giving, greetings

Tone: warm

Origin & History

From 祝い (iwai), the noun form of 祝う (iwau, to celebrate). The kanji 祝 combines 示 (altar) and 兄 (elder brother/person), originally depicting a person praying at an altar for blessings.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal