1.
offering; votive offering
Items offered to deities, spirits of the deceased, or at Buddhist altars. Typically includes food, drink, flowers, and other items placed at shrines, temples, graves, or household altars.
仏壇にお供え物を置いた。
I placed an offering on the Buddhist altar.
お供え物に果物とお菓子を用意した。
I prepared fruit and sweets as offerings.
お正月には神棚にお供え物をして、新しい年の無事を祈る。
At New Year's, we place offerings on the household shrine and pray for a safe year ahead.
CULTURE:
お供え物 is central to Japanese religious practice. Common offerings include 米 (rice), 酒 (sake), 果物 (fruit), お菓子 (sweets), and 花 (flowers). After the offering period, food items are often consumed by the family, a practice called お下がり.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- お供え物をする (to make an offering)
- お供え物を上げる (to offer up)
- お供え物を下げる (to take down an offering)
FORM:
The plain form 供え物 (without お) also exists but is less common in everyday speech.