noun
offering mochi; mochi rice cakes used as an offering
Refers to mochi placed on household altars or at graves as offerings to deities or ancestors, especially during New Year and Obon.
お正月には、神棚に供え餅を飾ります。
During New Year's, we display offering mochi on the household Shinto altar.
お盆に、お墓に供え餅を持っていった。
I brought offering mochi to the grave during Obon.
鏡餅 is a specific type of offering mochi consisting of two round mochi stacked, used especially for New Year decorations, while 供え餅 is a broader term for any mochi offered to deities or ancestors.
Compound of 供え (sonae, 'offering', from the verb 供える sonaeru) and 餅 (mochi, 'rice cake').