弔電(ちょうでん)

ちょうでん
noun
condolence telegram
1. condolence telegram; telegram of sympathy
A formal telegram sent to express condolences upon someone's death. A customary practice in Japan when one cannot attend a funeral in person.
弔電(ちょうでん)を送(おく)る。
To send a condolence telegram.
葬儀(そうぎ)で弔電(ちょうでん)が読(よ)まれた。
Condolence telegrams were read at the funeral.
遠方(えんぽう)のため参列(さんれつ)できず、弔電(ちょうでん)を打(う)つことにした。
Since I was too far away to attend, I decided to send a condolence telegram.

Composed of 弔(ちょう) (mourning) + 電(でん) (telegram). Like 祝電(しゅくでん), condolence telegrams remain an active custom in Japan. They are typically read aloud during funeral ceremonies.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 弔電(ちょうでん)を送(おく)る: to send a condolence telegram
  • 弔電(ちょうでん)を打(う)つ: to send a condolence telegram (lit. "strike")
  • 弔電(ちょうでん)を読(よ)み上(あ)げる: to read aloud a condolence telegram
  • 弔電(ちょうでん)が届(とど)く: a condolence telegram arrives

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 祝電(しゅくでん): congratulatory telegram — sent for happy occasions, the opposite
  • 弔辞(ちょうじ): eulogy — a spoken tribute at a funeral
  • 香典(こうでん): condolence money — monetary offering given at funerals
general
Added 2026.4.8 4:16 · Revised 2026.4.10 17:28
22500/22863_chouden