🌏 Region(s): Ryukyu (Okinawa)
とーとーめー【尊御前】 : tootoomee | define meaning
tootoomee
Pronunciation: [toːtoːmeː]
Definition
Noun
- A vertical tablet used in East Asian Buddhist traditions to enshrine the spirit of someone who has passed away. Spirit tablet; ancestral tablet; mortuary tablet; memorial tablet; spirit seat.
- The tradition or custom of passing on a spirit tablet, often to the first-born male child.
Etymology
Possibly derived from the Old Japanese term たふと【尊】 tafuto (とうと touto in modern Japanese, considered archaic), meaning something of great value or importance; and めー【前】 mee, a suffix of respect.
Notes
Spirit tablets are commonly seen in temples, shrines and household altars. Incense sticks are often burned nearby, and food items may be offered up. Other common names include ancestral tablet, mortuary tablet, memorial tablet, and spirit seat. The anglicized spelling totome is also seen.
Synonym: いーふぇー【位牌】 iifee
Spelling
| Orthography | Form |
|---|---|
| Kanji | 尊御前 |
| Kana | とーとーめー |
| Romanization | tootoomee |
| Pronunciation (IPA) | [toːtoːmeː] |
意味：いはい【位牌】
Categories:
尊御前
Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2025, August 15). とーとーめー【尊御前】 : tootoomee | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2025, December 6, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/631/tootoomee/.