新月
shingetsu[ɕĩŋɡe̞t͡sɨ]
The English phrase "new moon" is translated into Japanese as 新月 (shingetsu). Wiktionary also lists 朔 (saku).
Meaning: phase of moon when in conjunction with sun (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 新月 | shingetsu | [ɕĩŋɡe̞t͡sɨ] (narrow) [ɲ̟iːzɨkʲi] (narrow) |
| 朔 | saku |
新月 refers to the phase of the moon when it is in conjunction with the sun. In certain contexts, it can also refer to the first month of the lunar calendar.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 新月 consists of the kanji 新, meaning "new" and 月, meaning "moon" or "month".
Which one should you use?
新月 (shingetsu) is the common, everyday term for a new moon. In contrast, 朔 (saku) is used as a more technical or astronomical term.
How do you pronounce it?
shingetsu
Did you know?
- The technical term 朔 (saku) is the origin of the word 朔日 (tsuitachi), which is the Japanese word for the first day of the month.
- While 'shingetsu' is the standard term, a person might use the term 三日月 (mikazuki) to describe a thin crescent, which is often how people visually identify the 'new' moon phase.
- Ancient Japanese calendars relied on the exact moment of 朔 (saku) to synchronize the agricultural year and imperial decrees.
Examples in context
- 新月は空がとても暗い。Shingetsu wa sora ga totemo kurai.The sky is very dark during the new moon.
- 今夜は新月ですね。Konya wa shingetsu desu ne.It is a new moon tonight, isn't it?
- 新月の夜に星を見ました。Shingetsu no yoru ni hoshi o mimashita.I saw the stars on the night of the new moon.
Example conversation
A couple is looking at the night sky from their balcony.
- 美咲 Misaki新月だから、星がすごく綺麗だよ。Shingetsu dakara, hoshi ga sugoku kirei da yo.Because it's a new moon, the stars are beautiful.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だ、美咲。とてもよく見えるね。Honto da, Misaki. Totemo yoku mieru ne.You're right, Misaki. They look very clear.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔、もっと遠くまで見えるよ。Hiroto, motto tooku made mieru yo.Hiroto, you can see even further.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だ、すごいね。Honto da, sugoi ne.You're right, it's amazing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “new moon” translations and entries 新月, 朔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
