Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 記念日 | kinenbi | [kʲinẽ̞mbʲi] (narrow) |
| 周年 | shūnen | [ɕɨːnẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| アニバーサリー | anibāsarī | [a̠ɲ̟iba̠ːsa̠ɾʲiː] (narrow) |
The standard term for an anniversary is 記念日. To specify a wedding anniversary, you place 結婚 (marriage) before it to create 結婚記念日. The term 周年 is used specifically to denote a specific number of years passed, often used for milestones in marriage or relationships. The loanword アニバーサリー is frequently seen in commercial contexts, such as anniversary campaigns or in more fashionable and romantic settings.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 記念日 is composed of 記念, meaning commemoration or memorial and 日, meaning day.
Which one should you use?
While 記念日 refers to a specific commemorative date, 周年 is used specifically to count the number of years passed, such as a 10th anniversary. In contrast, アニバーサリー is a katakana loanword typically reserved for commercial use or fashionable contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 周年 to count years, the number is placed directly before it, such as 1周年 (1st anniversary) or 5周年 (5th anniversary).
How do you pronounce it?
kinenbi
Did you know?
- The word 記念日 is used for any special day, not just yearly ones. For example, a couple might celebrate a 記念日 for being together for 100 days.
- When you combine 記念 and 日, the pronunciation of the second word shifts from 'hi' to 'bi' due to a linguistic phenomenon called 'rendaku'.
- Japanese people often celebrate 記念日 that have no traditional basis, such as the date they first met or the day they had their first date.
Examples in context
- 明日は僕らの記念日だよ。It's our anniversary tomorrow.Tatoeba #10153781 by small_snow, translation #10153769 by DJ_Saidez
- 10周年、おめでとうございます。Happy 10-year anniversary!Tatoeba #11243231 by small_snow, translation #11250611 by pip
- 今日はトムとメアリーの結婚記念日です。It's Tom and Mary's wedding anniversary today.Tatoeba #7824108 by Ninja, translation #7822657 by CK
- わたしたちの結婚記念日を祝ってくれてありがとう。Thank you for celebrating our wedding anniversary.
- 会社の創立記念日は来週です。The company's founding anniversary is next week.
- 今日は付き合って10年の記念日だよ！Today is the 10-year anniversary of our relationship!
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple discusses their plans for a special day.
- 結衣 Yui来週は、私たちの記念日だね。Raishuu wa, watashitachi no kinenbi dane.Next week is our anniversary, isn't it?
- 大翔 Hirotoそうだね。何か特別なことをしよう。Sou dane. Nanika tokubetsu na koto o shiyou.That's right. Let's do something special.
- 結衣 Yui素敵なレストランを予約しておくよ。Suteki na resutoran o yoyaku shite oku yo.I'll book a lovely restaurant.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、ありがとう。楽しみにしてるよ。Yui, arigatou. Tanoshimi ni shiteru yo.Thank you, Yui. I'm looking forward to it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “anniversary” translations and entries 記念日, 周年, アニバーサリー, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries アニバーサリー, 記念日, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
