Japanese word

祝い

Pronunciation

Romajiiwai

Meaning

  • nouncelebration

Example

合格の祝いにケーキを食べました。gō kaku no iwa i ni kē ki o ta be ma shi ta

We ate cake to celebrate passing the exam.

Illustration for 祝い (celebration)

More examples

友人の新しい仕事が決まり、みんなで祝いをしました。yū jin no atara shi i shi goto ga ki ma ri mi n na de iwa i o shi ma shi ta

My friend got a new job, so we all held a celebration.

Core concept

The word centers on showing joy and goodwill when someone experiences a happy event or achievement.

Common phrases

  • 祝いをするiwa i o su ru

    hold a celebration

  • 祝いの言葉iwa i no koto ba

    words of congratulations

Similar words

お祝いoiwai: A polite term for a celebration or a gift marking a happy event.
祝賀shukuga: A formal celebration of a happy event or achievement.

Definition in Japanese

めでたい出来事を喜び、祝福すること。また、そのための行事や贈り物。me de ta i de ki goto o yoroko bi shuku fuku su ru ko to ma ta so no ta me no gyō ji ya oku ri mono

Word origin

祝い (iwai, "celebration or congratulations") comes from the verb 祝う (iwau, "to celebrate or congratulate") and functions as its noun form.

Usage tips

  • 祝い (iwai) appears in compounds such as 結婚祝い (kekkon iwai), where it can refer to a celebration or a gift for a wedding.

Other meanings

  • congratulationsnoun

Word lists with this word