1.
customs, folkways, traditional practices
Established customs and practices that have been passed down in a community or society over generations. More formal and academic than 習慣 (habit/custom), with an emphasis on collective cultural traditions rather than individual behavior.
各地の習俗を調べる。
To research the customs of various regions.
お正月の習俗は地方によって異なる。
New Year's customs differ by region.
近代化の波の中で、古くからの習俗が急速に失われつつある。
Amid the wave of modernization, customs handed down from long ago are rapidly being lost.
USAGE:
A formal, somewhat academic term used in ethnography, cultural studies, and historical writing. More elevated than 習慣 (habit/custom), which can refer to individual habits. 習俗 specifically refers to collective cultural practices rooted in tradition.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 習慣: habit, custom (broader, includes personal habits)
- 風習: custom, practice (similar register, slightly less formal)
- 慣習: convention, customary practice (often legal or institutional)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 習俗を守る: to preserve customs
- 古い習俗: old customs
- 地方の習俗: regional customs