1.
warding off bad luck; evil-averting charm
The practice of warding off misfortune, or a charm or ritual performed for that purpose, especially during unlucky years.
厄除けのお守りを買った。
I bought a good-luck charm to ward off bad luck.
今年は厄年なので、厄除けの祈祷を受けた。
This is my unlucky year, so I had a prayer ceremony to ward off bad luck.
節分に豆まきをするのは、昔からの厄除けの風習だと言われている。
Throwing beans at Setsubun is said to be an age-old custom for warding off evil.
A compound of 厄 (misfortune, calamity) and 除け (warding off, averting). Refers both to the general concept of averting bad luck and to specific rituals, charms, or talismans used for that purpose.
In Japanese folk belief, certain ages are considered 厄年 (unlucky years) — typically 25 and 42 for men, 19 and 33 for women. People often visit shrines and temples during these years for 厄除け rituals. The practice is especially popular at New Year and 節分.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 厄除けの祈祷: prayer for warding off bad luck
- 厄除けのお守り: protective charm against misfortune
- 厄除け祈願: prayer petition for averting evil
- 厄除けの神社: shrine known for evil-averting blessings
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 魔除け: warding off evil spirits — focuses on supernatural threats rather than general misfortune
- お{祓い}: purification rite — a broader Shinto ritual that includes but is not limited to averting bad luck