Japanese Conversation · Level 105
60 words
Japanese word
元旦
Pronunciation
Romajigantan
Meaning
- nounNew Year's Day
Example
元旦に神社へ行きます。gan tan ni jin ja e i ki ma su
I go to a shrine on New Year's Day.
More examples
元旦は家族そろっておせち料理を食べます。gan tan wa ka zoku so ro tte o se chi ryō ri o ta be ma su
On New Year's Day, my family eats osechi together.
Core concept
Refers to January 1 as the point at which the new year begins.
Common phrases
元旦の朝gan tan no asa
New Year's morning
元旦を祝うgan tan o iwa u
celebrate New Year's Day
Similar words
元日ganjitsu: The calendar date that begins the new year, January 1.
Definition in Japanese
一年の最初の日である一月一日。ichi nen no sai sho no hi de a ru ichi gatsu tsuitachi
Word origin
元旦 (gantan) is formed from 元 (gan, "origin") and 旦 (tan, "dawn"), expressing the first dawn at the start of a new year.
Usage tips
- Japanese uses 元旦 (gantan) for New Year's Day, while New Year's morning is a more literal reading of the word's older meaning.