お見舞(みま)い品(ひん)

おみまいひん
noun
get-well gift; a gift brought when visiting someone who is ill or hospitalized
culturehealth
1. get-well gift; a gift brought when visiting someone who is ill or hospitalized
The お prefix is standard and almost always included.
お見舞(みま)い品(ひん)に果物(くだもの)を持(も)って行(い)った。
I brought fruit as a get-well gift.
病院(びょういん)へのお見舞(みま)い品(ひん)は何(なに)がいいでしょうか。
What would be a good get-well gift for a hospital visit?
鉢植(はちう)えの花(はな)はお見舞(みま)い品(ひん)としてふさわしくないと言(い)われている。
Potted flowers are said to be inappropriate as get-well gifts.

A compound of お見舞(みま)い (visiting the sick/injured) and 品(ひん) (item/gift). The お is a polite prefix that is conventionally included and rarely dropped.

Common collocations

  • お見舞(みま)い品(ひん)を持参(じさん)する: to bring a get-well gift
  • お見舞(みま)い品(ひん)を選(えら)ぶ: to choose a get-well gift
  • お見舞(みま)い品(ひん)にふさわしい: appropriate as a get-well gift

Cultural note

In Japan, there are specific etiquette rules about what to give as お見舞(みま)い品(ひん):

  • Appropriate: fruit, flowers (cut, not potted), books, small treats
  • Inappropriate: potted plants (根(ね)が付(つ)く = "taking root" suggests a prolonged stay), items in sets of four (四(し) sounds like 死(し), death), strong-scented items
  • Cash in an envelope (見舞金(みまいきん)) is also common, especially among close relations
general
Added 2026.5.4 20:20 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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