1.
wake; vigil; all-night watch over the deceased
A ceremony held the night before a funeral where family and friends gather to mourn the deceased and keep watch through the night. In modern practice, it is often a shorter evening gathering.
今夜は通夜に出席する。
I'm attending a wake tonight.
通夜には黒い服を着て行った。
I wore black clothes to the wake.
仕事の都合で葬儀に出られないので、通夜だけでも参列しようと思う。
Since I can't attend the funeral due to work, I plan to at least attend the wake.
USAGE:
The traditional 通夜 involved keeping vigil through the entire night, but modern 通夜 (called 半通夜, literally "half wake") typically lasts only a few hours in the evening. It is held the day before the 葬儀 (funeral service).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 通夜に参列する (to attend a wake)
- 通夜を行う (to hold a wake)
- 通夜振る舞い (food and drink served at a wake)
- お通夜 (wake, with polite prefix)
CULTURE:
In Japanese funeral customs, the 通夜 is typically followed by the 葬儀・告別式 (funeral and farewell ceremony) the next day. Attendees usually bring 香典 (condolence money) in a special envelope.
Related Words
Related:
告別式 (funeral service)