Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), も (Kunyomi)
Meaning: mourning, funeral, loss
The character 喪 (mò in Chinese) is an ideogrammic compound. It originally depicted a person (亡) under a covering or shroud (衣), symbolizing death, burial, and thus, mourning. It conveys the sense of loss and the rituals associated with it.
View JLPT N1 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 喪 has 12 strokes. It begins with the top component, followed by the left, right, and then the bottom “衣” radical. Pay attention to the balance and flow, especially the final stroke of the 衣 radical.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 衣 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 12 |
| JLPT Level | N1 |
| Grade | Unlisted |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ソウ (SOU)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- も (mo)
Common Words Using 喪
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 喪失 | そうしつ | loss, forfeiture |
| 服喪 | ふくも | mourning, in mourning |
| 喪心 | そうしん | despair, broken heart |
| 喪家 | そうか | house of mourning, bereaved family |
| 国喪 | こくそう | national mourning |
| 喪儀 | そうぎ | funeral ceremony (less common) |
| 失喪 | しっそう | loss (synonym of 喪失) |
| 追悼喪失 | ついとうそうしつ | mourning loss |
| 喪亡 | そうもう | death and mourning (literary) |
| 哀喪 | あいそう | sorrow and mourning (literary) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 喪服 | もふく | mourning dress, funeral clothes |
| 喪中 | もちゅう | in mourning |
| 喪主 | もしゅ | chief mourner |
| 喪章 | もしょう | mourning band |
| 喪明け | もあけ | end of mourning period |
| 喪屋 | もや | house of mourning (archaic) |
| 喪（も） | も | mourning (as in 喪に服す – to go into mourning) |
| 喪門 | ももん | mourning gate (literary) |
| 喪家 | もけ | bereaved family (less common kun-yomi reading) |
| 喪儀 | もぎ | funeral ceremony (less common kun-yomi reading) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 彼は家族の喪失に深く悲しんでいる。
Kana: かれはかぞくのそうしつにふかくかなしんでいる。
Romaji: Kare wa kazoku no soushitsu ni fukaku kanashinde iru.
English: He is deeply saddened by the loss of his family.
Japanese: 彼女は喪中のため、年始の挨拶を控えた。
Kana: かのじょはもちゅうのため、ねんしのあいさつをひかえた。
Romaji: Kanojo wa mochuu no tame, nenshi no aisatsu o hikaeta.
English: She refrained from New Year’s greetings because she was in mourning.
Japanese: 祖父の喪服を準備した。
Kana: そふのもふくをじゅんびした。
Romaji: Sofu no mofuku o junbi shita.
English: I prepared my grandfather’s mourning clothes.
Japanese: その事故で彼は視力を喪失した。
Kana: そのじこでかれはしりょくをそうしつした。
Romaji: Sono jiko de kare wa shiryoku o soushitsu shita.
English: He lost his eyesight in that accident.
Japanese: 喪主として、彼は葬儀で弔辞を読んだ。
Kana: もしゅとして、かれはそうぎでちょうじをよんだ。
Romaji: Moshu to shite, kare wa sougi de chooji o yonda.
English: As the chief mourner, he read a eulogy at the funeral.
Japanese: 腕に喪章をつけている人がいた。
Kana: うでにむしょうをつけているひとがいた。
Romaji: Ude ni moshou o tsuketeiru hito ga ita.
English: There was a person wearing a mourning band on their arm.
Japanese: 多くの人々が彼の死を悼み、服喪した。
Kana: おおくのひとびとがかれのしをいたみ、ふくもした。
Romaji: Ooku no hitobito ga kare no shi o itami, fukumo shita.
English: Many people mourned his death and went into mourning.
Japanese: 国全体が国喪の期間に入った。
Kana: くにぜんたいがこくそうのきかんにはいった。
Romaji: Kuni zentai ga kokusou no kikan ni haitta.
English: The entire country entered a period of national mourning.
Japanese: 彼の突然の死は、私にとって大きな喪失だった。
Kana: かれのとつぜんのしは、わたしにとっておおきなそうしつだった。
Romaji: Kare no totsuzen no shi wa, watashi ni totte ookina soushitsu datta.
English: His sudden death was a great loss for me.
Japanese: 会社の信用喪失は避けられなかった。
Kana: かいしゃのしんようそうしつはさけられなかった。
Romaji: Kaisha no shin’you soushitsu wa sakerarenakatta.
English: The company’s loss of trust was unavoidable.
Related Grammar & kanji list
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