1.
second death anniversary; memorial service two years after death
A Buddhist memorial service held two years after a person's death. Called 'third' because it counts the year of death as the first.
Japanese Buddhist counting is different from Western counting:
JAPANESE COUNTING METHOD:
- 一回忌 = year of death (not commonly used)
- 三回忌 = 2 years after death (1 + 2 = 3)
- 七回忌 = 6 years after death
This counting method (数え) includes the starting point, unlike Western counting.
MEMORIAL SERVICES:
After 三回忌, memorials become less frequent and attendance typically decreases.
Related Words
Related:
一周忌 (first anniversary)