祝 電(しゅくでん)

しゅくでん

noun

congratulatory telegram

1. congratulatory telegram; telegram of congratulations

A formal telegram sent to offer congratulations, typically for weddings, promotions, or other celebrations. Still used in Japan for ceremonial occasions even in the digital age.

祝電(しゅくでん)を送(おく)る。

To send a congratulatory telegram.

結婚式(けっこんしき)に祝電(しゅくでん)が届(とど)いた。

A congratulatory telegram arrived for the wedding.

出席(しゅっせき)できない代(か)わりに、祝電(しゅくでん)を打(う)つことにした。

Instead of attending, I decided to send a congratulatory telegram.

Composed of 祝(しゅく) (celebration) + 電(でん) (telegram). Although telegrams have largely disappeared from daily life, 祝電(しゅくでん) remain a living tradition in Japan, especially at weddings and school ceremonies.

Common collocations

祝電(しゅくでん)を送(おく)る: to send a congratulatory telegram
祝電(しゅくでん)を打(う)つ: to send a telegram (lit. "strike")
祝電(しゅくでん)が届(とど)く: a congratulatory telegram arrives
祝電(しゅくでん)を読(よ)み上(あ)げる: to read aloud a congratulatory telegram

Similar words

弔電(ちょうでん): condolence telegram — sent for funerals, the opposite occasion
電報(でんぽう): telegram — the general word for any telegram
祝辞(しゅくじ): congratulatory speech — spoken rather than written

Related Words

Compare: 弔電(ちょうでん) (condolence telegram)

Compare: 電報(でんぽう) (telegram)

Compare: 祝辞(しゅくじ) (congratulatory speech)

Compare: 打電(だでん) (sending a telegram)

general

Added 2026.4.8 4:16 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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