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命日 (めいにち) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

命めい日にち

め

い

に

ち

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

death anniversary; monthly memorial date

Refers to the date of a person's death, observed annually or monthly. In Buddhist contexts, monthly memorial services may be held on this date.

今日きょうは祖そ母ぼの命めい日にちです。
Today is the anniversary of my grandmother's death.
毎まい月つきの命めい日にちにお寺てらでお参まいりを

する

。

We visit the temple on the monthly memorial date.

Kanji

命fate, command, decree
日day, sun, Japan

Similar words

忌き日にち
忌日 is a more formal or Buddhist term for the anniversary of a death, often used in religious contexts. 命日 is the common, everyday word.
祥しょう月つき命めい日にち
祥月命日 specifically refers to the annual death anniversary in the same month as the person's passing, emphasizing the yearly recurrence.

Etymology

Compound of 命 (mei, 'life') and 日 (nichi, 'day'), literally 'life day', referring to the day a life ended.