棺
[çit͡sɨɡʲi]
The English word "casket" is translated into Japanese as 棺.
The term 棺 is used specifically for the coffin or casket used in funeral rites.
Which one should you use?
The word 柩 refers specifically to a coffin, which is a casket used for burying deceased individuals.
Did you know?
- In Japan, the 棺 is often used in a ritual called kotsuage where family members use chopsticks to transfer the remains from the casket to an urn.
- The kanji for 棺 includes the radical for 'wood' (木), which reflects the traditional material used to construct caskets in Japan.
- The word 棺 is used in the famous Japanese idiom 棺桶に釘を打つ, which means 'to nail a coffin lid', similar to the English 'nail in the coffin'.
Examples in context
- 今晩の葬儀では、母の遺体は美しい 棺 に安置されるでしょう。Tonight at the funeral, my mother's body will be placed in a beautiful casket.
- 友達のおじいさんは病院で亡くなりました。その時、 棺桶 に入れられました。My friend's grandfather passed away in the hospital. At that time, he was placed in a casket.
- 棺に花を供える。hitsugi ni hana o sonaeru.Place flowers in the casket.
- 高級な木の棺を用意した。koukyuu na ki no hitsugi o youi shita.I prepared an expensive wooden casket.
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are looking at a funeral arrangement.
- 健太 Kentaこの棺はとても立派ですね。kono hitsugi wa totemo rippa desu ne.This casket is very splendid, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariええ、とても丁寧な作りです。ee, totemo teinei na tsukuri desu.Yes, it is very well made.
- 健太 Kenta陽葵さんは、どう思いますか？Himari-san wa, dou omoimasu ka?Himari, what do you think?
- 陽葵 Himari故人を大切に思っていると感じます。kojin o taisetsu ni omotte iru to kanjimasu.I feel that they respected the deceased.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 棺, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
