1.
gravestone; tombstone; headstone
The stone monument placed at a grave, usually inscribed with the family name or a Buddhist posthumous name. The standard formal term in Japan.
墓石に名前が彫ってある。
The name is engraved on the gravestone.
墓石を磨いて掃除した。
I polished and cleaned the gravestone.
お彼岸には家族でお墓参りに行き、墓石に水をかけて手を合わせた。
During the equinox week, my family visited the grave, poured water on the gravestone, and joined our hands in prayer.
近年は樹木葬など、墓石を建てない形式のお墓も増えている。
In recent years, alternative grave styles such as tree burials, which do not involve a traditional gravestone, have been increasing.
墓石 combines 墓 (grave) and 石 (stone), forming a Sino-Japanese compound for the gravestone or tombstone. It is the standard formal term, used in news, funeral industry contexts, and everyday speech.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 墓石を建てる: to erect a gravestone
- 墓石を磨く: to polish a gravestone
- 墓石に水をかける: to pour water on a gravestone (standard part of grave-visiting in Japan)
- 墓石に名前を彫る: to engrave a name on a gravestone
- 墓石業者: gravestone dealer / mason
CULTURAL NOTE:
- Traditional Japanese gravestones are usually rectangular polished granite columns. The family name is engraved on the front, and the side often lists the posthumous Buddhist names (戒名) and dates of those buried there.
- Grave visits during お彼岸 (the equinox weeks) and お盆 (Bon festival) typically include cleaning the gravestone, pouring water, and offering incense and flowers.
- 樹木葬 (tree burial) and other non-stone alternatives have been growing in popularity, partly due to declining family sizes and the cost of maintaining traditional graves.
SIMILAR / RELATED TERMS:
- お墓: grave (the everyday word, refers to the whole grave site)
- 墓地: cemetery
- 墓標: grave marker (often a simpler wooden stake or smaller marker)
- 石碑: stone monument (general — not necessarily a grave)
- 戒名: posthumous Buddhist name (often inscribed on gravestones)