暮れ

• Reading: くれ
• Romaji: kure
• Kanji breakdown: 暮 (bo/ku) — dusk, livelihood, end
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.ɾe/

Meaning

Year end; dusk; the close of a period. Refers to the end of the year or the fading of daylight.

Primarily a noun derived from the verb 暮れる (kureru, to grow dark/end). Most commonly refers to the end of the year: 年の暮れ (year-end). Can also mean dusk or the end of a season. During 暮れ, Japanese people engage in year-end customs like 大掃除 (major cleaning) and preparing おせち料理.

Examples

1. 年の暮れは買い物客で街が賑わう。 At year's end, the streets are bustling with shoppers.
2. 暮れになると一年を振り返りたくなる。 When the end of the year comes around, I feel like looking back on the past twelve months.
3. 日が暮れる前に家に帰ろう。 Let's get home before it gets dark.

Usage Guide

Context: seasons, year-end, traditions

Tone: reflective

Origin & History

From the verb 暮れる (kureru). The kanji 暮 combines 莫 (bo, dusk/nothing) and 日 (nichi, sun) — the sun disappearing at day's end, extended to mean the end of any time period.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal