お香(こう)

おこう
noun
incense
politeculturereligion
1. incense; fragrant substance burned for its scent
Aromatic materials, typically in stick or cone form, burned to produce pleasant fragrance. Used in religious ceremonies, meditation, and as home fragrance.
お香(こう)を焚(た)く。
To burn incense.
寝(ね)る前(まえ)にお香(こう)を焚(た)くとよく眠(ねむ)れる。
Burning incense before bed helps me sleep well.
祖母(そぼ)は毎朝(まいあさ)仏壇(ぶつだん)の前(まえ)でお香(こう)を焚(た)いている。
My grandmother burns incense in front of the Buddhist altar every morning.

The polite prefix お is standard for this word; plain 香(こう) is used in compounds but rarely alone in everyday speech.

Common collocations

Cultural note

Incense has deep roots in Japanese culture, used in Buddhist ceremonies, tea ceremony, and the traditional art of 香道(こうどう) (the Way of Incense). Modern use includes aromatherapy and home fragrance. Common types include 白檀(びゃくだん) (sandalwood) and 沈香(じんこう) (agarwood).

Similar words

  • 線香(せんこう): stick incense — specifically the thin sticks used at altars and graves
  • 香料(こうりょう): fragrance materials — broader term including perfumery ingredients
  • アロマ: aroma — modern loanword for aromatherapy-style fragrance

Related Words

Compare: 線香(せんこう) (stick incense)
Compare: 香料(こうりょう) (fragrance materials)
general
Added 2026.4.9 2:25 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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