霊廟
reibyō[ɾe̞ːbʲo̞ː]
The English word "mausoleum" can be said in Japanese using several different terms. If unsure, use 霊廟 (reibyō). Wiktionary also lists 陵 (misasagi) and 陵墓 (ryōbo).
Meaning: large tomb (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 霊廟 | reibyō | [ɾe̞ːbʲo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 陵 | misasagi | [mʲisa̠sa̠ɡʲi] (narrow) [ɾʲo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 陵墓 | ryōbo | [ɾʲo̞ːbo̞] (narrow) |
| マウソレウム | mausoreumu |
The term refers to a large tomb.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 霊廟 is composed of the characters for "spirit" (霊) and "shrine/temple" (廟).
Which one should you use?
The form マウソレウム is a direct phonetic loan from the English word "mausoleum" and is used in academic or Western-centric contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
reibyō
Did you know?
- Unlike Western mausoleums that are often visible landmarks, many imperial 陵 in Japan are designed as forested mounds that look like natural hills.
- The term 陵 is specifically reserved for the tombs of emperors and members of the imperial family. It is not used for the general public regardless of the tomb's size.
- The prefix 御 (mi-) in words related to the imperial lineage, like 陵, acts as a marker of extreme respect, similar to how 'sacred' might function in English.
Examples in context
- 私たちは彼の霊廟を訪れ、敬意を表します。We will visit his mausoleum and pay our respects.
- その霊廟は非常に荘厳だ。Sono reibyou wa hijou ni sougon da.That mausoleum is very solemn.
- 古い霊廟の跡を見つけた。Furui reibyou no ato o mitsuketa.I found the ruins of an old mausoleum.
- 歴史的な霊廟を観光する。Rekishiteki na reibyou o kankou suru.We are sightseeing at a historical mausoleum.
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are visiting an ancient city together.
- 陽太 Yotaあそこにあるのが有名な霊廟だよ。Asoko ni aru no ga yūmei na reibyō dayo.That thing over there is the famous mausoleum.
- 結衣 Yui本当に大きくてびっくりしたわ。Hontō ni ōkikute bikkuri shita wa.I'm surprised by how truly huge it is.
- 陽太 Yota中に入って見てみようか。Naka ni haitte mite miyō ka.Shall we go inside and take a look?
- 結衣 Yuiええ、ぜひそうしましょう。Ee, zehi sō shimashō.Yes, let's definitely do that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mausoleum” translations and entries 霊廟, 陵, 陵墓, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 陵, CC BY-SA 4.0.
