旧正月
kyūshōgatsu[kʲɨːɕo̞ːɡa̠t͡sɨ]
The English phrase "lunar new year" is translated into Japanese as 旧正月 (kyūshōgatsu). Wiktionary also lists 春節 (shunsetsu).
Meaning: Lunar New Year (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 旧正月 | kyūshōgatsu | [kʲɨːɕo̞ːɡa̠t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
| 春節 | shunsetsu | [ɕɨ̃ɰ̃se̞t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
旧正月 is used in Japan to refer to the lunar new year celebrations observed in various East Asian cultures, distinct from the standard Japanese New Year (Oshōgatsu) which follows the Gregorian calendar.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 旧正月 is composed of 旧 (old), 正月 (New Year/first month), literally meaning "old new year".
How do you pronounce it?
kyūshōgatsu
Did you know?
- Japan officially switched from the lunar calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1873, which is why the lunar new year is now called the 'old' 正月.
- The term 春節 (shunsetsu) literally means 'spring festival', as the lunar new year almost always coincides with the beginning of spring in the East Asian lunisolar calendar.
- Although 旧正月 is not the main holiday, some traditional festivals in rural Japan still follow the lunar calendar rather than the solar one.
Examples in context
- 旧正月は何月ですか？kyūshōgatsu wa nangatsu desu ka?What month is the lunar new year?
- 旧正月の準備をしています。kyūshōgatsu no junbi o shite imasu.I am preparing for the lunar new year.
- 旧正月にお祝いをしました。kyūshōgatsu ni oiwai o shimashita.I celebrated the lunar new year.
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking about holiday traditions.
- 健太 Kenta旧正月はどう過ごすの？kyūshōgatsu wa dō sugosu no?How do you spend the lunar new year?
- 陽葵 Himari家族と一緒に美味しい料理を食べます。kazoku to issho ni oishii ryōri o tabemasu.I eat delicious food with my family.
- 健太 Kenta素敵だね。僕も参加したいな。suteki dane. boku mo sanka shitai na.That sounds lovely. I want to join too.
- 陽葵 Himariぜひ、健太さんも一緒にどうぞ。zehi, kenta-san mo issho ni dōzo.Please, Kenta, you should join us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lunar new year” translations and entries 旧正月, 春節, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
