昭和

Japanese JLPT N1 Vocabulary Japanese ★★★★★ 5/5 neutral しょうわshōwa
Reading しょうわ
Romaji shōwa
Kanji breakdown 昭 (shō) — radiant, bright; 和 (wa) — harmony, Japan
Pronunciation /ɕoː.wa/

Meaning

The Shōwa era; the imperial reign period of Emperor Hirohito, spanning 1926 to 1989. One of the longest and most historically eventful eras in Japanese history.

A noun central to Japanese cultural and historical identity. The Shōwa era encompasses prewar militarism, the Pacific War, postwar reconstruction, and the economic miracle. 昭和レトロ (Shōwa retro) is a contemporary aesthetic trend among younger generations, celebrating mid-20th-century Japanese style. 昭和生まれ (born in the Shōwa era) is a common generational marker in conversation.

Examples

  1. 昭和の終わりとともに、一つの時代が幕を閉じた。 With the end of the Shōwa era, an entire epoch came to a close.
  2. 昭和レトロなカフェが若い世代に人気を集めている。 Retro Shōwa-style cafés are gaining popularity among the younger generation.
  3. 昭和生まれの両親と令和生まれの子どもでは価値観が大きく異なる。 There is a huge gap in values between parents born in the Shōwa era and children born in the Reiwa era.

Usage Guide

Context: Japanese history, era names, culture, generational identity

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The era name 昭和 means 'radiant harmony', derived from a phrase in the Chinese classic Shangshu: 百姓昭明、協和萬邦 ('the people are enlightened, all nations in harmony'). Chosen at the start of Emperor Hirohito's reign to express hopes for peace and prosperity.

Cultural Context

Era: Shōwa (1926–1989)

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

年度 Fiscal year; academic year; official year. A defined annual period used for administrative, educational, or financial purposes, often not aligned with the calendar year. 歴史的 Historic; historical. Describes something of great historical significance, or something related to history in general. 元号 Era name; the official name given to a reign period in the Japanese imperial system. Japan currently uses the era Reiwa, which began in 2019. 干支 The Chinese zodiac; the traditional sexagenary cycle combining the ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches. Also used colloquially to refer to one's zodiac animal sign. 年号 Era name; Japanese era designation. An official name given to a reign period in the traditional Japanese calendar system. 年度末 End of the fiscal year or academic year; year-end in the Japanese administrative calendar. Typically refers to late March. 戦前 Pre-war; the period before a war. In Japanese, typically refers to Japan before World War II, particularly before 1937 or 1941. 戦後 Post-war; the period following a war. In Japanese, almost always refers specifically to the period after World War II (1945 onwards).
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