月

• Reading: つき
• Romaji: tsuki
• Kanji breakdown: 月 (getsu/gatsu/tsuki) — moon, month
• Pronunciation: /t͡sɯ.ki/

Meaning

Moon. Earth's natural satellite, visible in the night sky.

A noun with multiple readings. Read as つき, it means the Moon as a celestial body. Read as がつ, it is used as a month counter (一月, 二月). Read as げつ, it appears in compounds like 月曜日 (Monday). Moon-viewing (月見, tsukimi) is a beloved autumn tradition in Japan.

Examples

1. 今夜の月はとてもきれいです。 The moon is very beautiful tonight.
2. 月が雲の後ろに隠れました。 The moon hid behind the clouds.
3. 日本では秋に月を見る行事があります。 In Japan, there is an autumn tradition of moon-viewing.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, astronomy, calendar

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 月 is a pictograph of a crescent moon, one of the most ancient characters in the writing system.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal