comfort article; gift for the sick or distressed
Refers to items given to cheer up someone who is ill, hospitalized, or in a difficult situation. Often used in contexts of visiting the sick or sending care packages.
I sent a comfort gift to my friend who is hospitalized.
Comfort articles were delivered to the disaster area.
Compound of 慰問 (いもん, 'condolence visit, comfort call') and 品 (ひん, 'article, goods'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a standard Sino-Japanese compounding pattern.