秋
aki[a̠kʲi]
The English word 'autumn' is translated into Japanese as 秋 (aki). Wiktionary also lists 秋季 (shūki) and 秋期 (shūki).
Meaning: season (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 秋 | aki | [a̠kʲi] (narrow) |
| 秋季 | shūki | [ɕɨːkʲi] (narrow) |
| 秋期 | shūki | [ɕɨːkʲi] (narrow) |
The word refers to the autumn season.
Which one should you use?
秋 (aki) is the standard, everyday way to say 'autumn' in conversation and writing. The forms 秋季 and 秋期 are both pronounced shūki, but they function as formal or technical terms to denote an 'autumn period' or to refer to specific academic terms, sports seasons or official schedules.
How do you pronounce it?
aki
Did you know?
- The word 秋 (aki) shares a phonetic root with the verb 飽きる (akiru), which means 'to get tired of' or 'to become full up'. This may link the season to the feeling of being satiated by a bountiful harvest.
- In Japanese poetry, the season of autumn is often poetically represented by the word 月 (tsuki), meaning 'moon', because the clear autumn skies make the moon appear exceptionally bright.
- Japanese culture celebrates 秋の七草 or 'seven autumn herbs' which are traditionally appreciated for their beauty and poetic meaning.
Examples in context
- 秋が好きです。I like autumn.This sentence shows how to express a preference for 秋.Tatoeba #11910301 by small_snow, translation #10724903 by sundown
- 秋は涼しいです。Autumn is cool.This sentence describes the temperature of 秋.Tatoeba #10901732 by small_snow, translation #11043569 by CK
- 今日は立秋です。Today is the first day of autumn.This sentence uses 秋 to talk about the first day of the season.Tatoeba #11909922 by small_snow, translation #10181105 by sundown
- 61 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are talking about their favorite seasons.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さんは、どの季節が一番好きですか？Hiroto-san wa, dono kisetsu ga ichiban suki desu ka?Hiroto, which season do you like the most?
- 大翔 Hiroto私は秋が一番好きです。Watashi wa aki ga ichiban suki desu.I like autumn the most.
- 結衣 Yuiいいですね。秋は紅葉がとても綺麗です。Ii desu ne. Aki wa kouyou ga totemo kirei desu.That's nice. The autumn leaves are very beautiful in autumn.
- 大翔 Hirotoそうですね。一緒に見に行きましょう。Sou desu ne. Issho ni mi ni ikimashou.You're right. Let's go see them together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “autumn” translations and entries 秋, 秋季, 秋期, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 秋, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
