お正月

• 読み: おしょうがつ
• ローマ字: oshougatsu
• 漢字の分解: 正 (sei/shou) — correct, proper. 月 (getsu/gatsu) — month, moon
• 発音: /o.ɕoː.ɡa.tsɯ/

意味

New Year; New Year's holiday. Especially refers to the first three days of January.

The お prefix makes this the polite/standard form (正月 alone sounds slightly blunt). Japan's most important holiday period, traditionally spent visiting shrines (初詣), eating special cuisine (おせち料理), and spending time with family. Schools and businesses close for about a week.

例文

1. お正月に家族で集まります。
2. お正月はおせち料理を食べます。
3. 今年のお正月は雪が降りました。

使い方ガイド

場面: holidays, seasons, family

トーン: warm

起源と歴史

Compound of 正 (shou, correct/proper) and 月 (gatsu, month). The 'correct month' refers to the first month of the year — the proper beginning. The お prefix is honorific.

文化的背景

時代: Ancient

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal