Word Meaning 正月

しょうがつ shougatsu

正月 is read as しょうがつ (shougatsu) and means New Year (esp. first three days).

Meaning

English

New Year (esp. first three days)
first month of the year
January

Reading

Kana

しょうがつ

Romaji

shougatsu

Stroke Sequence

2 Characters • 9 Total Strokes

Study Signals and Categories

JLPT N4 Jōyō Grade 1 Kanken 10級 Related Words お正月,一月 Rank 2611 Priority A

Related Vocabulary

Max. 12

二十日正月

はつかしょうがつ

twentieth day of the first month (end of New Year celebrations, upon which remaining New Year's food is eaten, decorations are stowed away, etc.)

大正月

おおしょうがつ

first seven days of the year

お正月

おしょうがつ

New Year (esp. first three days)

目の正月

めのしょうがつ

feast for one's eyes

小正月

こしょうがつ

Little New Year (festival held on January 15)

新正月

しんしょうがつ

January (according to the new calendar)

女正月

おんなしょうがつ

15th day of the New Year (when women would belatedly do their New Year's greetings or go back to their parents' homes; in Kyoto and Osaka)

正月飾り

しょうがつかざり

New Year's decorations

正月太り

しょうがつぶとり

putting on weight over the New Year's holidays

旧正月

きゅうしょうがつ

lunar New Year (esp. the Chinese New Year)

墨付け正月

すみつけしょうがつ

event in which young men and women paint each others' cheeks with black ink or soot during Koshōgatsu (in the San'in region)

盆と正月が一緒に来たよう

ぼんとしょうがつがいっしょにきたよう

as if the two busiest days of the year had come at the same time

Example Sentences

正月は家族と過ごします。

しょうがつはかぞくとすごします。

I spend New Year's with my family.

お正月は何するの？

What are you doing for New Year?

お正月は何してるの？

What are you doing for New Years?

もうすぐお正月です。

It will soon be New Year.

もうすぐお正月ですね。

New Year's Day is close at hand.

お正月休みはどうするの？

What are you planning to do for the New Year vacation?

正月はすぐそこまで来ている。

New Year's Day is close at hand.

お正月に私と踊ったお友達かも〜？

Isn't that the friend I danced with on New Year's?

社会人になって初めてのお正月です。

I am becoming a working adult in January.

みんなお正月の準備で忙しいのです。

Everybody is very busy getting ready for the New Year.

Context Links Usage in Anime Open to see people, character names, and anime titles. 3 related entries

Real usage of this vocabulary in people, character names, and anime titles on Anime.Jepang.org.

山上正月 Masatsuki Yamakami