1.
rite of passage; initiation ritual
A ceremony or event marking a person's transition from one stage of life to another. Originally an anthropological term, now widely used in everyday language for any formative experience that serves as a milestone.
For new employees, the training program is something like a rite of passage.
Compound of 通過 (passing through) + 儀礼 (ceremony; ritual). Originally a translation of the French anthropological term "rites de passage" (coined by Arnold van Gennep), but now used broadly in everyday Japanese to describe any experience seen as a necessary step in personal growth.
Common collocations
- 人生の通過儀礼: rite of passage in life
- 青春の通過儀礼: rite of passage in youth
- 通過儀礼を経験する: to experience a rite of passage
- 通過儀礼としての: as a rite of passage
Cultural note
Traditional Japanese rites of passage include 七五三 (festival for children aged 3, 5, and 7), 成人式 (coming-of-age ceremony at 18), and 結婚式 (wedding ceremony). In modern usage, the term is often applied figuratively to difficult but formative experiences.