court mourning; national mourning
Formal term for the period of mourning observed by the imperial court after the death of an emperor or empress; also used for national mourning. Rare in everyday language.
Following the emperor's passing, court mourning was declared.
Historical records describe the events during the period of court mourning.
General term for mourning or bereavement, used in everyday contexts, unlike 諒闇 which is specific to imperial or national mourning.
Refers to observing mourning, often for a family member; broader and more common than 諒闇.
Most common kanji form for this term.
Variant kanji form; less common.
Variant kanji form; less common.
The term originates from classical Chinese, where it referred to the mourning period for a ruler. The exact derivation of the kanji is uncertain, but they are conventionally associated with the meaning of imperial mourning.