1.
keepsake, memento, remembrance
An object kept as a reminder of a deceased person or someone who has departed. Carries a strong emotional connotation of loss and remembrance.
祖母の形見の指輪を大切にしている。
I treasure the ring my grandmother left me as a keepsake.
この時計は亡き父の形見だ。
This watch is a memento of my late father.
形見分けで、母の着物を姉妹で分けた。
In dividing up the keepsakes, my sisters and I shared our mother's kimonos.
USAGE:
Unlike the English "memento" or "souvenir," 形見 specifically refers to an object left behind by someone who has died or permanently departed. It is not used for souvenirs from trips or gifts between living people. The compound 形見分け refers to the custom of distributing a deceased person's belongings among family and close friends as keepsakes.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 形見の品: keepsake item
- 形見分け: distributing keepsakes of the deceased
- 〜の形見: memento of (someone deceased)