Refers to the period or practice of mourning, often involving ritual abstinence from certain activities. Commonly used in Shinto or traditional contexts.
忌み明けまで、肉や魚を食べない。
I abstain from meat and fish until the end of the mourning period.
A thing or action that is avoided for religious or superstitious reasons. Often used in compounds like 忌み言葉 (taboo words).
葬式では「切る」は忌み言葉だ。
At funerals, 'cut' is a taboo word.
religious purification
Shinto purification practice; often involves abstaining from certain foods or activities to achieve ritual purity. The kanji 斎み is sometimes used for this sense.
神主は斎みを行ってから祭りに臨む。
The Shinto priest performs purification before attending the festival.
Prefix used in religious or formal contexts to indicate purity or sacredness. Found in words like 忌み清める (purify).
忌み清めた水を神前に供える。
Offer purified water before the altar.
detest; abhor; loathe
collecting herbs and pulling out young pine trees by the roots (annual event held on the first day of the Rat of the New Year)
unwanted child; shunned child
unlucky number
unlucky day; day of abstinence; death anniversary
Standard spelling for mourning, abstinence, and taboo senses.
Irregular okurigana usage; the standard form is 忌み.
Rare kanji form associated with religious purification; 忌み is more common.
Rare single-character spelling for purification; not commonly used.
Derived from the verb 忌む (imu, 'to avoid, to detest'), referring to things that are ritually avoided. The kanji 忌 carries the meaning of mourning and taboo, while 斎 is associated with purification.