三日月
mikazuki[mʲika̠zɨkʲi]
The English phrase 'crescent moon' is translated into Japanese as 三日月 (mikazuki). Wiktionary also lists 弦月 (gengetsu).
Meaning: the moon as it appears in its first or last quarter (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 三日月 | mikazuki | [mʲika̠zɨkʲi] (narrow) |
| 弦月 | gengetsu | [ɡẽ̞ŋɡe̞t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
The term refers to the moon as it appears in its first or last quarter.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 三日月 (mikazuki) literally means 'third-day moon', referring to the moon's appearance shortly after the new moon.
Which one should you use?
While both terms refer to a crescent, 三日月 (mikazuki) is the common, poetic term for a thin crescent, whereas 弦月 (gengetsu) is a more technical or formal term meaning 'bow moon'.
How do you pronounce it?
mikazuki
When do people say it?
The shape of the 三日月 is a classic motif in traditional Japanese art and is often used in seasonal imagery.
Did you know?
- The name 三日月 is also the title of one of Japan's five legendary swords, named for blade patterns that resemble the crescent shape.
- The word 三日月 showcases 'rendaku', a linguistic process where the 't' sound in tsuki transforms into a 'z' sound in zuki to make the compound word easier to pronounce.
- While 三日月 is used for the thin sliver of the early month, the terms 上弦 (jōgen) and 下弦 (kagen) are used to specifically distinguish between the first and last quarter moons.
Examples in context
- 足で三日月を踏んでいる。I am stepping on the crescent moon with my feet.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 三日月 in a descriptive context.Tatoeba #8289896 by LK, translation #8289906 by LK
- 三日月の美しさに魅了されました。I was fascinated by the beauty of the crescent moon.
- 今夜は綺麗な三日月が見えます。Konya wa kirei na mikazuki ga miemasu.A beautiful crescent moon can be seen tonight.
- 空に三日月が浮かんでいる。Sora ni mikazuki ga ukande iru.A crescent moon is floating in the sky.
Example conversation
The children are looking at the night sky together.
- 陽葵 Himari見て、きれいな三日月だよ！Mite, kireina mikazuki dayo!Look, it's a beautiful crescent moon!
- 陽太 Yota本当だ。すごく細いね。Hontou da. Sugoku hosoi ne.You're right. It's very thin.
- 陽葵 Himari三日月はお気に入りなんだ。Mikazuki wa okiniiri nanda.The crescent moon is my favorite.
- 陽太 Yota僕も好きだよ。Boku mo suki dayo.I like it too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crescent moon” translations and entries 三日月, 弦月, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 三日月, 弦月, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
