葬式（そうしき、soushiki）
- funeral

The Japanese word 葬式 (そうしき) refers to a funeral or a memorial service. It is a ceremony held to honor and remember a deceased person, typically involving rituals, prayers, and often a cremation or burial. It's a significant event in Japanese culture.

⚫︎葬式に参列する。 Translation: To attend a funeral. ⚫︎ 彼は 葬式 を取り仕切った。 Translation: He managed the funeral. ⚫︎ 祖父の葬式は盛大だった。 Translation: My grandfather's funeral was grand.

This word is used to describe the entire event, from the viewing (wake) to the cremation/burial and the subsequent memorial services. It is appropriate in formal and informal contexts when discussing a death and related ceremonies. You would use it when talking about attending a funeral, planning a funeral, or reflecting on a funeral.

The word is typically written with the kanji 葬式. The reading is そうしき in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word, nor are there significant variations in the okurigana.

⚫︎ 告別式 (こくべつしき): Farewell ceremony (often used interchangeably with 葬式) ⚫︎ 弔い (とむらい): Mourning, memorial service (can be used more generally)

There aren't direct antonyms as this word relates to an event; however, terms associated with life, birth, or celebration could be considered opposite in concept.

明日は、祖母の《葬式に参列します。》 ・Translation: I will attend my grandmother's funeral tomorrow. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the speaker's intention to go to the funeral ceremony.

《葬式の後、親戚一同で食事をしました。》 ・Translation: After the funeral, we had a meal with all the relatives. ・Explanation: This sentence describes an event that took place after the funeral.

The kanji 葬 means "burial" or "to bury," and the kanji 式 means "ceremony" or "form." The combination of these two kanji, 葬式, therefore literally means "burial ceremony" or "funeral ceremony," accurately reflecting its meaning.