還暦

• Reading: かんれき
• Romaji: kanreki
• Kanji breakdown: 還 (kan) — return, come back; 暦 (reki/koyomi) — calendar, almanac
• Pronunciation: /kaɴ.ɾe.ki/

Meaning

Kanreki; 60th birthday celebration. The milestone marking a full cycle of the sexagenary calendar.

A noun for the celebration of one's 60th birthday, based on the completion of one full cycle of the traditional Chinese-Japanese sexagenary calendar (combining 10 heavenly stems and 12 earthly branches, totalling 60 years). Traditionally, the person wears a red vest (赤いちゃんちゃんこ) symbolising rebirth. While the red vest tradition is becoming less common, 還暦 celebrations remain an important family milestone in Japan.

Examples

1. 来年、父が還暦を迎える。 My father will celebrate his kanreki next year.
2. 還暦のお祝いに家族で温泉旅行に行った。 We went on a family hot spring trip to celebrate his kanreki.
3. 還暦を過ぎても元気に働いている人は多い。 Many people continue to work energetically even after turning 60.

Usage Guide

Context: family celebrations, milestones, ageing

Tone: celebratory

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 還 (kan, return) + 暦 (reki, calendar). Literally 'returning calendar' — the completion of one full 60-year cycle, symbolically returning to the beginning.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal