Kinen

Kinen is a Japanese noun written with the kanji 記念 that denotes commemoration, memorial, or a keepsake. It is used to refer to actions, events, or objects that preserve a memory of a person, an achievement, or a significant occasion. In everyday use, kinen.

The term is formed from 記 (ki, to record or chronicle) and 念 (nen, mind, memory). In compounds, 記念 is read with the on'yomi reading as kinen. This reading is standard across most phrases and compound terms.

Common usages include 記念日 (kinenbi), meaning an anniversary or commemorative day; 記念品 (kinenhin), a commemorative item or keepsake; 記念写真 (kinen shashin) or 記念撮影 (kinen satsuei) for a commemorative photograph; 記念館 (kinenkan), a memorial hall; and 記念碑 (kinenhi), a monument. The term often appears in contexts related to memorial ceremonies, anniversaries, or objects kept to honor a memory.

In Japanese, 記念 is the standard form; a Chinese equivalent concept is 紀念 (jìniàn). While kinen is specifically a Japanese term, the idea of memory preservation and commemorative practice is common across cultures and is reflected in related words and place names that use 記念 as a element, such as memorial facilities or monuments.