1.
happiness in the afterlife; rest in peace
Blessedness or peace in the world after death. Almost exclusively used in the set expression ご冥福をお祈りします (We pray for your peaceful rest), a standard condolence phrase.
ご冥福をお祈りします。
We pray for your peaceful rest. (Rest in peace.)
亡くなられた方のご冥福を心よりお祈り申し上げます。
We sincerely pray for the peaceful rest of the deceased.
犠牲者のご冥福をお祈りするとともに、ご遺族に深い哀悼の意を表します。
We pray for the peaceful rest of the victims and express our deep condolences to the bereaved families.
USAGE:
冥福 is almost always used in the set expression ご冥福をお祈りします, the standard way to express condolences in Japanese. It is appropriate for formal contexts such as funerals, memorial services, and official statements. The word comes from Buddhist terminology.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ご冥福をお祈りします (standard condolence phrase)
- ご冥福を祈る (to pray for the deceased's peace)
- 心よりご冥福をお祈りします (sincerely praying for peaceful rest)
NOTE:
Some consider this expression inappropriate for non-Buddhist families, since 冥福 is rooted in Buddhist beliefs about the afterlife. In such cases, 哀悼の意を表します (expressing condolences) is a more neutral alternative.