式典|しきてんshikiten[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounceremony; rites
   彼かれはその式典しきてんで堂々どうどうと振る舞ふるまった。↗

   He bore himself well at the ceremony.

• Synonym儀式ぎしきNeutralThe broadest term for a ceremony, covering religious and folk rites (「儀式を執り行う」); 式典 stresses official, formal events held by a state or organization.
• Synonym儀ぎWrittenWritten-language term for a ceremony or affair (「婚礼の儀」), with a classical flavour; now mostly seen as a suffix.
• Synonym典礼てんれいNeutralA formal ceremony, used mainly for imperial court and religious settings; leans toward written style.
• SynonymセレモニーNeutralLoanword for a ceremony (「オープニングセレモニー」), also weddings and commemorations; 式典 sounds more official and formal.
• Synonym儀典ぎてんNeutralRefers to ceremonial rules and etiquette (「儀典長」) rather than an event; common in diplomatic protocol.
• Synonym典てんNeutralDenotes a ceremony (「祝典」「式典」); mostly a suffix and rarely used on its own.
• Related祭祀さいしNeutralRitual worship of gods or ancestral spirits (「祭祀を司る」), with a distinctly religious tone; 式典 is defined by its formality and official organizer, not by its content.
• Related祝典しゅくてんNeutralA celebration (「即位の祝典」); unlike 式典, it stresses the festive, congratulatory nature of the event.
• Related祭事さいじNeutralFestival and ritual events, typically at a shrine (「神社の祭事」); 式典 is marked instead by being a formal ceremony held by an official body or organization.
• Related祭儀さいぎNeutralRites of worship; a written-style term used mainly in religious studies.
• Related聖祭せいさいNeutralSpecifically a Catholic rite such as Mass, and rare; 式典 is a general term for formal ceremonies.

Use 「式典」 for formal ceremonies held by a state or organization, as in 「記念式典」 or 「式典に参列する」. For ceremonies in general pick 「儀式」, for the loanword feel 「セレモニー」, for celebrations 「祝典」, and for shrine festivals 「祭事」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 儀式ぎしきのこと。