Meaning
The kanji 祝 carries the joyful meanings of celebrate, congratulate, and bless. It is among the most festive kanji in Japanese, appearing at birthdays, weddings, national holidays, and religious ceremonies alike — anywhere that calls for formally expressing good wishes.
祝 is built from two components. The left side is 示 (ネ), a radical depicting a ritual altar where offerings were placed during ancient ceremonies. This radical consistently signals the divine and sacred rites. The right side, 兄, originally depicted a kneeling person (人) with an open mouth (口), loudly voicing prayers or blessings toward the heavens. Put together, they picture a priest before a holy altar, proclaiming words of celebration to the gods.
Over time, the meaning stretched well beyond its religious roots. Today 祝 covers everyday celebration too: congratulating a colleague on a promotion, marking a child's first day of school, or toasting a friend's good news. The kanji has 9 strokes and is taught in Grade 4 of Japanese elementary school.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
シュク (shuku) is the primary on'yomi, appearing in formal compound words related to official events, ceremonies, and the calendar.
- 祝日 (shukujitsu) — national holiday; public holiday
- 祝賀 (shukuga) — celebration; official congratulation
- 祝辞 (shukuji) — congratulatory speech delivered at a formal ceremony
- 祝電 (shukuden) — congratulatory telegram or message
シュウ (shuu) is a secondary on'yomi, less common in modern Japanese but preserved in specific traditional and ceremonial compounds.
- 祝儀 (shuugi) — a congratulatory gift; also used for gratuities at celebrations such as weddings
- 祝言 (shuugen) — a wedding ceremony (formal, somewhat archaic)
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
いわ(う) (iwau) is the native Japanese verb meaning to celebrate or to congratulate. It conjugates as a regular godan verb and appears in warm, everyday expressions among friends, family, and colleagues.
お祝い (oiwai) — a celebration; a congratulatory gift (honorific お
makes this polite)
祝い事 (iwaigoto) — a celebratory occasion or joyful event
誕生祝い (tanjouiwai) — a birthday celebration or birthday gift
結婚祝い (kekkoniwai) — a wedding celebration; a wedding gift
Common Words & Compounds
祝 spans formal ceremonies, religious blessings, and casual daily celebrations. Here are the key compounds, grouped by theme.
Official & Formal Compounds
- 祝日 (shukujitsu) — national holiday; a day officially designated for public rest and celebration
- 祝賀 (shukuga) — an official celebration or formal congratulation, often used for institutional events
- 祝辞 (shukuji) — a congratulatory speech delivered at a graduation, opening ceremony, or similar formal occasion
- 祝電 (shukuden) — a congratulatory telegram or formal message of good wishes
- 祝杯 (shukuhai) — a celebratory toast; raising a glass in honor of an achievement or occasion
- 祝宴 (shukuen) — a celebratory banquet held to mark a special occasion
Religious & Traditional Compounds
- 祝福 (shukufuku) — a blessing; divine favor bestowed upon a person or occasion
- 祝儀 (shuugi) — a congratulatory gift; also refers to a tip or gratuity given at a celebratory event such as a wedding
- 祝言 (shuugen) — a traditional wedding ceremony; carries a classical, literary tone
Everyday Celebration Vocabulary
- お祝い (oiwai) — a celebration or congratulatory gift; the most common word for a gift marking a happy occasion
- 祝う (iwau) — to celebrate; to congratulate; the base verb
- 祝い事 (iwaigoto) — any joyful, celebratory occasion such as a birth, marriage, or promotion
- 誕生祝い (tanjouiwai) — a birthday celebration or birthday gift
- 結婚祝い (kekkoniwai) — a wedding celebration or wedding present
Example Sentences
今日は祝日なので、学校は休みです。
Kyou wa shukujitsu nanode, gakkou wa yasumi desu.
Today is a national holiday, so school is closed.
毎年、家族で誕生日を祝います。
Maitoshi, kazoku de tanjoubi wo iwaimasu.
Every year, we celebrate birthdays together as a family.
友達の結婚を祝うために、パーティーを開きました。
Tomodachi no kekkon wo iwau tame ni, paatii wo hirakimashita.
We held a party to celebrate our friend's wedding.
先生から祝電が届きました。
Sensei kara shukuden ga todokimashita.
A congratulatory message arrived from my teacher.
卒業のお祝いに、何が欲しいですか？
Sotsugyou no oiwai ni, nani ga hoshii desu ka?
What would you like as a graduation gift?
神父は新婚カップルに祝福を与えました。
Shinpu wa shinkon kappuru ni shukufuku wo ataemashita.
The priest gave his blessing to the newlywed couple.
市長は式典で祝辞を述べました。
Shichou wa shikiten de shukuji wo nobemashita.
The mayor gave a congratulatory speech at the ceremony.
新年を祝って、みんなで祝杯を上げました。
Shinnen wo iwatte, minna de shukuhai wo agemashita.
We raised a toast together to welcome the New Year.
昇進のお祝いに、同僚たちがランチをごちそうしてくれました。
Shoushin no oiwai ni, douryou-tachi ga ranchi wo gochisou shite kuremashita.
My colleagues treated me to lunch to celebrate my promotion.
会社の創立記念日を祝う祝宴が盛大に開かれました。
Kaisha no souritsu kinenbi wo iwau shukuen ga seidai ni hirakaremashita.
A grand celebratory banquet was held to mark the company's founding anniversary.
Memory Tip
Picture an ancient Shinto shrine. A stone altar (示/ネ) stands at the center, laden with offerings. Before it kneels an elder (兄), mouth wide open, calling out words of joy and blessing toward the heavens. That image is what 祝 encodes: someone at a sacred altar, crying out in celebration.
Split the kanji into its two halves — ネ (the altar) on the left, 兄 (the elder with an open mouth) on the right — and the meaning becomes obvious. Together they shout: celebration!