喪主

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 喪主(もしゅ) is the person serving as the bereaved family's representative at a funeral. 喪 relates to bereavement and 主 to the leading person.
• Basic usage: It appears when someone takes the chief mourner's role or greets visitors in that capacity.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Serving a role with 務める
  • 喪主を務めた means serving as chief mourner. It uses 務める(つとめる), the verb for fulfilling a role.
• An example's person is not a general rule
  • The first example has an eldest son as chief mourner; the second has a woman. 喪主 itself does not specify gender or eldest-son status.