parting gift; souvenir left behind; aftereffect
Literally 'a souvenir left behind'. Can refer to a physical gift left for someone, or figuratively to a lasting effect or memory left by a person or event. The figurative use is less common.
Before leaving on his journey, he left a parting gift for his family.
The politician's corruption scandal became a lasting aftereffect in the political world.
忘れ形見 is a keepsake or memento left by a deceased person, carrying a stronger emotional and memorial nuance than 置き土産, which can be used more broadly for any parting gift or aftereffect.
Standard kanji spelling; high priority in news and frequency lists.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still encountered.
Compound of 置き (oki, 'leaving, placing') + 土産 (miyage, 'souvenir, gift'). The literal meaning is 'a souvenir left behind'.