Japanese word

お参り

Pronunciation

Romajiomairi

Meaning

  • nounvisit

Example

休みに祖母のお墓へお参りします。yasu mi ni so bo no o haka e o mai ri shi ma su

I visit my grandmother's grave during the holidays.

Illustration for お参り (visit)

More examples

合格を願って、神社へお参りに行きました。gō kaku o nega tte jin ja e o mai ri ni i ki ma shi ta

I went to a shrine to pray for success.

Core concept

Describes going to a sacred place and showing respect or offering prayers there.

Common phrases

  • お参りをするo mai ri o su ru

    pay one's respects

  • お参りへ行くo mai ri e i ku

    go to pay one's respects

  • お参りに出かけるo mai ri ni de ka ke ru

    go out to pay one's respects

Similar words

参拝sanpai: A formal visit to a shrine or temple to worship.
参詣sankei: A visit to a shrine or temple for worship, often in formal language.

Definition in Japanese

神社や寺、墓などを訪れて、神仏を拝むこと。jin ja ya tera haka na do o otozu re te shin butsu o oga mu ko to

Word origin

お参り (omairi) combines the polite prefix お (o) with 参り (mairi), the noun form of 参る (mairu), which originally meant to go or come and later came to mean visiting a sacred place.

Usage tips

  • The New Year's first お参り (omairi) is called 初詣 (hatsumōde, "first shrine or temple visit of the year"), a familiar New Year's custom in Japan.

Other meanings

  • worshipnoun

Related words

  • お参りするomairisuruworshipverb

Word lists with this word