陵みささぎ

also: りょう

み

さ

ぎ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Refers specifically to the tomb of an emperor or empress. The reading みささぎ is standard; みはか is an older, less common reading.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉〉の陵りょうを参拝さんぱいするto pay one's respects at 〈person〉's imperial mausoleum
明めい治じ天皇てんのうの陵りょうを参さん拝ぱいした。
I paid my respects at Emperor Meiji's mausoleum.

Kanji

陵mausoleum, imperial tomb, mound

Related words

墓はかN3sense 1
墓 is the general word for grave or tomb, while 陵 refers specifically to the tomb of an emperor or empress.
古こ墳ふん sense 1
古墳 denotes ancient burial mounds in general, whereas 陵 is reserved for imperial mausoleums.

Politeness

御ご陵りょうhonorific 尊敬語sense 1
御陵 is the respectful, everyday term people use when speaking of an emperor's tomb, while 陵 is the plain dictionary word for the same thing.

Don't confuse with

稜りょう
稜 (a ridge or edge) is visually and phonetically similar to 陵 but has nothing to do with tombs.

Written forms

陵Usage99%
- みささぎ
  Standard kanji spelling for imperial mausoleum; the reading みささぎ is the most common.
- りょう
  Rare reading for the 'big hill' sense; mainly encountered in historical or literary contexts.
- みはか
みささぎUsage1%
Kana spelling is sometimes used for clarity, especially in contexts where the kanji might be unfamiliar.
みはか
りょう

Etymology

The kanji 陵 originally meant a large hill or mound, and by extension came to refer to imperial tombs built on such mounds. The reading みささぎ is of native Japanese origin, while りょう is the Sino-Japanese reading.