noun
farewell gift; parting gift
A gift given to someone who is leaving on a journey or moving away. The word originates from the phrase 馬の鼻向け (uma no hanamuke), referring to turning a horse's nose toward its destination as a send-off gesture.
友達の引っ越しに、はなむけの品を贈った。
I gave a farewell gift to my friend who was moving away.
退職する先輩にはなむけの言葉をかけた。
I offered parting words to my senior colleague who was retiring.
Rare kanji form for はなむけ; also read せん in some contexts.
Very rare variant kanji for はなむけ.
餞別 (せんべつ) is a more formal term for a farewell gift, often money given at a formal send-off. はなむけ is a warmer, more personal expression.
Derived from 馬の鼻向け (uma no hanamuke), literally 'turning a horse's nose', referring to the act of pointing a departing horse toward its destination as a send-off. The kanji 餞 and 贐 are Chinese loan characters associated with parting gifts.