日記

• Reading: にっき
• Romaji: nikki
• Kanji breakdown: 日 (nichi/hi) — day, sun; 記 (ki) — record, chronicle
• Pronunciation: /nik.ki/

Meaning

A diary; a journal. A personal record of daily events and thoughts.

Compound of 日 (nichi, day) and 記 (ki, record). Keeping a diary is a common practice in Japanese schools, where students write 絵日記 (picture diaries) during summer holidays. In adult life, 日記をつける (to keep a diary) is considered a useful habit. Also used for blogs and online journals.

Examples

1. 毎日日記を書いています。 I write in my diary every day.
2. 夏休みの宿題で絵日記を描いた。 I drew a picture diary for my summer homework.
3. 日記を読み返すと楽しいです。 It's fun to look back and read my old diary entries.

Usage Guide

Context: writing, school, personal reflection

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 日 (nichi, day) and 記 (ki, record/chronicle). A Sino-Japanese compound meaning 'daily record.'

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal