厄払い

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 厄払い (やくばらい) combines misfortune 厄 and warding off 払い to denote a ritual for removing bad luck.
• Basic usage: It is undergone at a shrine or attended as a family observance, often near the New Year.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A ritual rather than an ordinary precaution
  • 厄払い is a culturally defined religious observance, not simply any practical action taken to reduce risk.