夏
natsu[na̠t͡sɨ]
The English word 'summer' is expressed in Japanese as 夏 (natsu). Wiktionary also lists 夏季 (kaki).
Meaning: hottest season (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 夏 | natsu | [na̠t͡sɨ] (narrow) [ɡe̞] (narrow) |
| 夏季 | kaki | [ka̠kʲi] (narrow) [na̠t͡sɨkʲi] (narrow) |
The word refers to the hottest season. The sound 'natsu' is also used in names. For example, the name Natsuhiko (なつひこ) pairs 'natsu' with 'hiko' (彦), which means 'boy'. The name Natsu (なつ) is a unisex name suitable for both boys and girls. Additionally, Nacchan (なっちゃん) is often used as a nickname for girls named 'Natsuko'.
Which one should you use?
夏 is the standard word for the season itself. In contrast, 夏季 is used in formal, technical or administrative contexts, such as 'summer vacation period' or 'summer season' in a business sense.
How do you pronounce it?
natsu
Did you know?
- The Japanese language has a specific word shochū-mimai for the custom of sending 'mid-summer greeting cards' to maintain social ties during the heat.
- The concept of dōchū or 'mid-summer' is often associated with the Obon festival, a period when spirits of ancestors are believed to return to the family home.
- In the ancient poetry collection Man'yōshū from the 8th century, the character for 夏 was used as a phonetic symbol to represent the sound 'ge₁'.
Examples in context
- 夏は過ぎた。The summer is over.This sentence is useful for saying that the summer is over using 夏.Tatoeba #187205 by small_snow, translation #24342 by CK
- 夏は終わった。Summer is gone.This sentence is useful for saying that summer is gone using 夏.Tatoeba #187201 by bunbuku, translation #24338 by sundown
- 夏が終わった。Summer is over.Tatoeba #9808994 by bunbuku, translation #394438 by doviende
- 440 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Youta and Himari are talking about their favorite seasons.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵は、どの季節が一番好き？Himari wa, dono kisetsu ga ichiban suki?Himari, which season do you like best?
- 陽葵 Himari私は夏が一番好きです。Watashi wa natsu ga ichiban suki desu.I like summer the most.
- 陽太 Yota夏はとても暑いよね。Natsu wa totemo atsui yo ne.Summer is very hot, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariでも、海に行けるからいいと思う。Demo, umi ni ikeru kara ii to omou.But I think it's good because we can go to the sea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “summer” translations and entries 夏, 夏季, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 夏, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
