Meaning
Congratulations, celebration, or joyful greetings. Often seen in formal words.
- 年賀状 — New Year’s card
- 祝賀会 — celebration party
- 賀詞 — congratulatory words
- 賀正 — New Year's greeting (formal)
- 参賀 — imperial New Year's visit
- 来賀 — paying a celebratory visit
“賀” includes the radical 貝 (shell/money), indicating value, and phonetic 加. It suggests offering something valuable with joy, such as words or gifts of celebration. It appears mostly in set phrases and formal writing.
年賀状を 送りました。
I sent a New Year’s card.
賀詞を 述べる機会を 得ました。
I had the chance to express congratulatory words.
The on-yomi ガ is used in all words featuring 賀. You’ll rarely see this character used alone in modern writing, but it's essential in formal or ceremonial expressions.