旧暦

• Reading: きゅうれき
• Romaji: kyūreki
• Kanji breakdown: 旧 (kyū/furu) — old, former; 暦 (reki/koyomi) — calendar
• Pronunciation: /kjɯː.ɾe.ki/

Meaning

The old calendar; the traditional lunisolar calendar used in Japan before the Meiji era, based on the Chinese lunisolar system.

A noun referring to the traditional lunisolar calendar (also called 陰暦 or 太陰太陽暦) officially replaced by the Gregorian calendar (新暦) in 1873. Many traditional Japanese events — including the Obon festival and various regional festivals — are still observed according to 旧暦. Dates in the old calendar typically fall about one month later than their Gregorian equivalents.

Examples

1. 旧暦の七月十五日はお盆にあたる。 The fifteenth day of the seventh month in the old calendar corresponds to the Obon festival.
2. 地元の祭りは旧暦に従って毎年行われている。 The local festival is held every year according to the old calendar.
3. 旧暦では閏月が入ることで季節とのずれを調整する仕組みになっている。 The old calendar has a system of inserting intercalary months to adjust for seasonal drift.

Usage Guide

Context: traditional culture, festivals, history, calendar

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 旧 (old, former) and 暦 (calendar). The term emerged after the Meiji modernisation to distinguish the traditional lunisolar calendar from the newly adopted Gregorian system.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional (pre-Meiji)

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal