墓地
bochi[bo̞t͡ɕi]
The Japanese word for graveyard is 墓地 (bochi). Wiktionary also lists 霊園 (reien) and 墓場 (hakaba).
Meaning: tract of land in which the dead are buried (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 墓地 | bochi | [bo̞t͡ɕi] (narrow) [ha̠ka̠t͡ɕi] (narrow) |
| 霊園 | reien | [ɾe̞ːẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 墓場 | hakaba | [ha̠ka̠ba̠] (narrow) |
| 化野 | adashino | |
| 墓園 | boen | [bo̞ẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
The term refers to a tract of land in which the dead are buried.
What does it mean word for word?
The standard term 墓地 is composed of 墓 (grave) and 地 (land/ground). The polite term 霊園 is composed of 霊 (spirit) and 園 (garden/park).
Which one should you use?
墓地 is the standard, neutral term for a cemetery or graveyard. 霊園 is a more euphemistic and polite term, often used for large, landscaped memorial parks. 墓場 is a more colloquial or blunt way to refer to a graveyard, sometimes carrying a slightly eerie or unrefined connotation. 化野 refers specifically to ancient, often desolate, burial grounds in a literary or historical context.
How do you pronounce it?
bochi
Did you know?
- Many Japanese graveyards are family-owned, meaning a single 墓 often serves as a collective resting place for multiple generations of one family.
- The word 化野 refers to an ancient area in Kyoto where bodies were left to decompose in the open air, a practice that contrasts with the modern burial grounds called 墓地.
- The kanji in 墓地 follow the 'kan'on' reading, meaning they were imported from Chinese during a specific historical period of linguistic influence.
Examples in context
- 墓地を抜けよう。その方が近いよ。Let's go through the graveyard. It's shorter that way.This sentence is useful for practicing how to use 墓地.Tatoeba #12003608 by small_snow, translation #10798936 by ddnktr
- 霊園にお参りに行きます。I am going to the graveyard to pay my respects.
- お墓は大切な場所ですから、きちんと手入れしましょう。Graves are important places, so let's take care of them properly.
- この近くに公営の墓地があります。Kono chikaku ni kōei no bochi ga arimasu.There is a public graveyard near here.
- 静かな墓地を歩きました。Shizuka na bochi o arukimashita.I walked through a quiet graveyard.
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are looking for a specific location near a temple.
- 結衣 Yui健太くん、目的の墓地は見つかった？Kenta-kun, mokuteki no bochi wa mitsukatta?Kenta, did you find the graveyard we are looking for?
- 健太 Kentaうん、あそこにあるよ。Un, asoko ni aru yo.Yeah, it's over there.
- 結衣 Yui本当だ、あそこが墓地だね。Hontō da, asoko ga bochi dane.You're right, that's the graveyard.
- 健太 Kenta少し離れているから、急ごう。Sukoshi hanarete iru kara, isogō.It's a bit far, so let's hurry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “graveyard” translations and entries 墓地, 霊園, 墓場, 化野, 墓園, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 墓地, 墓場, 霊園, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
