厄(やく)

やく
noun
misfortune; bad luck; calamity; unlucky age
1. misfortune, bad luck, calamity
Ill fortune or disaster that befalls someone, often thought to have a supernatural or karmic cause.
厄(やく)を払(はら)う。
Ward off misfortune.
神社(じんじゃ)で厄(やく)を落(お)としてもらった。
I had my misfortune cleansed at a shrine.
今年(ことし)は厄(やく)が多(おお)い年(とし)だった。
This year was a year full of misfortune.
2. unlucky age, critical age
Specific ages in Japanese superstition considered prone to misfortune (yakudoshi). Traditionally 25, 42, and 61 for men; 19, 33, and 37 for women.
来年(らいねん)厄(やく)に当(あ)たる。
Next year falls on an unlucky age.
厄(やく)の年(とし)には大(おお)きな決断(けつだん)を避(さ)けたほうがいい。
It's better to avoid major decisions during your unlucky year.
厄(やく)が明(あ)けたので、やっと安心(あんしん)した。
My unlucky period is over, so I'm finally relieved.

Common collocations

Usage

The concept of 厄年(やくどし) (unlucky ages) is deeply rooted in Japanese folk belief. The most feared unlucky ages are 大厄(たいやく): 42 for men and 33 for women, both of which have wordplay associations with death (四十二(しじゅうに) sounds like 死(し)に, and 三十三(さんじゅうさん) like 散々(さんざん)). Many people visit shrines for 厄払(やくはら)い (misfortune-cleansing rituals) at these ages.

general
Added 2026.2.19 20:18 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
11500/11989_yaku