皆さん、こんにちは！今日は、日本の美しい習慣であるお墓参りについて、アメリカとの違いを交えながらお話ししたいと思います。
In Japan, the custom of o-haka-mairi (お墓参り) is a beautiful way to connect with your ancestors. It’s a regular practice where people clean the grave, offer flowers and incense, and take time for quiet reflection. This is a great way to show respect and feel a connection to your family's past.
In the U.S., people also visit graves to pay respects to loved ones, but the rituals are often different. Americans don't have a specific holiday for visiting graves; instead, they go whenever they feel the need to connect with a loved one who has passed away. Also, the church or the owner of the cemetery is usually responsible for cutting the grass and keeping the cemetery clean, so families don't have to do it themselves. However, the one thing both of our customs have in common is the most important part: the feeling of honoring and remembering those who came before us.
(日本では、お墓参りという習慣は、ご先祖様と繋がるための美しい方法です。これは定期的に行われる慣習で、人々はお墓をきれいに掃除し、花やお線香を供え、静かに故人を偲ぶ時間を持ちます。これは敬意を表し、家族の過去との繋がりを感じるための素晴らしい方法です。)
(アメリカでも、亡くなった大切な人に敬意を表すためにお墓参りに行きますが、その儀式はしばしば異なります。アメリカ人には、お墓参りをする特定の祝日はなく、故人とのつながりを感じたいときにいつでも行きます。また、草を刈ったり墓地をきれいに保ったりするのは、通常、教会や墓地の所有者の責任であり、家族自身が行うことはありません。しかし、私たちの両方の習慣に共通する最も大切なことは、私たちより先に生きた人々を敬い、思い出す気持ちです。)
Key Vocabulary
(重要な単語)
* custom: a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time.
(習慣、風習)
* ancestors: people from whom one is descended.
(ご先祖様、先祖)
* ritual: a series of actions or a type of behavior regularly and invariably followed by someone.
(儀式)
* reflection: serious thought or consideration.
(内省、故人を偲ぶこと)
Key English Phrase
(重要な英語フレーズ)
The phrase is "to pay respects." (トゥ・ペイ・リスペクツ)
This means to show admiration and honor to someone who has died. It is a very polite and common phrase used when talking about visiting graves or attending a memorial service.
(これは、亡くなった人に敬意と尊敬を示すことを意味します。お墓参りや追悼式に参加することについて話すときに使われる、非常に丁寧で一般的なフレーズです。)
How to Use It in Conversation
(会話での使い方)
* "We went to the cemetery to pay our respects to my grandmother."
(「私たちは祖母に敬意を表すため、お墓に行きました。」)
* "The team will pay respects to the former coach before the game."
(「試合前にチームは元コーチに敬意を表するだろう。」)
* "She took a moment of silence to pay her respects to the victims."
(「彼女は犠牲者に敬意を表すため、黙祷を捧げた。」)
* "We attended the ceremony to pay our respects."
(「私たちは敬意を表すために式典に参加しました。」)
Quiz Time!
1. What is the English word for「習慣」?
a) ritual
b) custom
c) reflection
2. The phrase "to pay respects" means to...
a) give money to someone.
b) show admiration and honor.
c) visit a temple.
3. Fill in the blank: "We visit the grave to __ __ to our __."
a) pay / respects / ancestors
b) show / respects / ancestors
c) pay / respects / family
4. Fill in the blank: "Taking time for quiet __ is an important part of the ceremony."
a) reflection
b) custom
c) ritual
5. Fill in the blank: "It is a __ to __ __ to your elders."
a) custom / pay / respects
b) ritual / give / respects
c) custom / show / respect
Ask your teacher if you are not sure of the correct answers!
I hope this post gives you some ideas for your next conversation! What do you think of this custom? I look forward to hearing your comments!
Miami Eikaiwa Blog: https://miamieikaiwa.blogspot.com/?m=1
Quiz Answers
1. b) custom
2. b) show admiration and honor.
3. a) pay / respects / ancestors
4. a) reflection
5. a) custom / pay / respects
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