When you hear 「お正月」 (oshougatsu), it refers specifically to New Year's Day, January 1st.
However, it can also encompass the New Year's period, usually the first few days of January, when many Japanese people celebrate with family.
It's a very important holiday in Japan, filled with traditions like eating special foods (like osechi-ryori) and visiting shrines.
So, while it literally means New Year's Day, keep in mind it often implies the broader holiday season too.
§ Understanding お正月 (oshōgatsu)
The Japanese word お正月 (oshōgatsu) refers specifically to New Year's Day. While it's commonly translated as 'New Year's,' it usually implies January 1st. However, in a broader sense, it can sometimes refer to the first few days of January, known as the 'New Year's period' (三が日 - sanga nichi) or even the entire first week (松の内 - matsu no uchi). For now, just remember its core meaning: New Year's Day.
- Japanese Word
- お正月 (oshōgatsu)
- Definition
- New Year's Day
- CEFR Level
- A2
§ How to use it in a sentence
Using お正月 in sentences is quite straightforward. It behaves like any other noun in Japanese. The most common particles you'll encounter with it are の (no), に (ni), and は (wa).
§ With の (no) - Possessive or descriptive
When you use お正月 with の, it often indicates possession or describes something related to New Year's Day.
お正月の飾りは綺麗ですね。
Translation hint: The New Year's decorations are beautiful, aren't they?
お正月の料理は何を食べますか？
Translation hint: What New Year's food will you eat?
§ With に (ni) - Indicating a specific time or occasion
The particle に is used to mark a specific point in time or an occasion. This is very common when talking about events that happen on New Year's Day.
お正月に実家に帰ります。
Translation hint: I will go back to my parents' home on New Year's Day.
お正月に神社へ行きました。
Translation hint: I went to the shrine on New Year's Day.
§ With は (wa) - Marking the topic
The particle は (wa) marks the topic of the sentence. You can use it to make お正月 the subject of your conversation.
お正月は家族と過ごします。
Translation hint: As for New Year's Day, I spend it with my family. (Or: I spend New Year's Day with my family.)
お正月は日本で一番大切な祝日です。
Translation hint: New Year's Day is the most important holiday in Japan.
§ Common phrases with お正月
Here are some common phrases where お正月 is used. Learning these can help you sound more natural.
良いお正月を！ (Yoi oshōgatsu o!) - Have a good New Year!
お正月休み (oshōgatsu yasumi) - New Year's holiday/vacation
お正月料理 (oshōgatsu ryōri) - New Year's cuisine
お正月気分 (oshōgatsu kibun) - New Year's mood/feeling
You'll notice the honorific prefix お (o-) in front of 正月. This is very common for words associated with auspicious or polite contexts, especially holidays. While 正月 (shōgatsu) without お is not incorrect, お正月 is much more common and natural in everyday conversation.
Wusstest du?
The word '正月' (shōgatsu) can refer to both New Year's Day itself and the entire New Year's holiday period, which typically lasts from January 1st to January 3rd, and sometimes even longer.
Schwierigkeitsgrad
Short and common kanji.
Common kanji, relatively few strokes.
Standard pronunciation, easy to say.
Very common word, often heard around New Year's.
Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest
Voraussetzungen
Als Nächstes lernen
Fortgeschritten
Wortfamilie
Substantive
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Imagine a **O**ld **Sho**e and a **Ga**te. The old shoe opens the gate to the New Year!
Visuelle Assoziation
Picture a calendar with 'Jan 1' circled, surrounded by festive Japanese decorations, like kadomatsu (pine and bamboo decorations) and shimekazari (straw ropes). This visual links directly to the New Year's Day.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Try to say what you usually do on New Year's Day in Japanese. For example: 「お正月、私は＿＿＿＿します。」 (On New Year's Day, I _____.)
Wortherkunft
From Middle Chinese '正月' (tɕɨɐŋ ȵʑɨɐt̚) 'first month, first day of the new year'.
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: The first month or first day of the new year.
Sino-JapaneseKultureller Kontext
<div><p>お正月 (Oshōgatsu) is the most important holiday in Japan, filled with traditions focused on family, food, and prayer for good fortune in the coming year. It's a time for families to gather, exchange greetings, and visit shrines or temples.</p><p>Key customs include eating special New Year's dishes called Osechi-ryori, decorating homes with kadomatsu and shimekazari, and giving otoshidama (money in small envelopes) to children.</p></div>
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Talking about New Year's traditions
- お正月にはおせち料理を食べます。
- On New Year's Day, we eat Osechi Ryori.
- お正月は家族と過ごします。
- I spend New Year's Day with my family.
- お正月に初詣に行きます。
- We go for Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year) on New Year's Day.
Discussing holiday plans
- お正月休みは何をしますか？
- What will you do during the New Year's holiday?
- お正月はどこかへ行きますか？
- Are you going somewhere for New Year's Day?
- お正月はゆっくりしたいです。
- I want to relax on New Year's Day.
Wishing someone a Happy New Year
- 良いお年をお迎えください。
- Have a good New Year.
- あけましておめでとうございます。
- Happy New Year.
- お正月が楽しみです。
- I'm looking forward to New Year's Day.
Talking about the end of the year
- 今年ももうすぐお正月ですね。
- It's almost New Year's Day again this year, isn't it?
- お正月までに終わらせたいことがあります。
- There are things I want to finish before New Year's Day.
- お正月はもうすぐそこです。
- New Year's Day is just around the corner.
Referring to things associated with New Year's
- お正月の飾り付けをしました。
- I decorated for New Year's.
- お正月は特別な気分になります。
- New Year's Day feels special.
- お正月の準備は大変です。
- New Year's preparations are tough.
Gesprächseinstiege
"お正月は何をしますか？ (What do you do on New Year's Day?)"
"お正月は家族と過ごしますか？ (Do you spend New Year's Day with your family?)"
"お正月にどこかへ行きますか？ (Are you going somewhere for New Year's Day?)"
"お正月は何を食べますか？ (What do you eat on New Year's Day?)"
"お正月の思い出は何ですか？ (What are your New Year's Day memories?)"
Tagebuch-Impulse
お正月をどのように過ごしましたか、そしてそれはなぜですか？ (How did you spend New Year's Day, and why was it that way?)
もし日本でお正月を過ごすなら、何をしたいですか？ (If you were to spend New Year's Day in Japan, what would you like to do?)
お正月はあなたにとってどんな意味がありますか？ (What does New Year's Day mean to you?)
お正月の伝統で、あなたの国と日本の違いは何だと思いますか？ (What differences do you think there are between New Year's traditions in your country and Japan?)
来年のお正月には何を達成したいですか？ (What do you want to achieve by next New Year's Day?)
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 Fragenお正月 (oshōgatsu) directly translates to New Year's Day. It's the most important holiday in Japan.
You pronounce it as o-shō-ga-tsu. The 'ō' is a long 'o' sound.
It's celebrated on January 1st, similar to New Year's Day in Western countries. The celebration period often extends for a few days into the new year.
Many traditions are observed, such as eating special foods like osechi-ryōri, visiting shrines (hatsumōde), and giving New Year's money (otoshidama) to children.
Yes, while it literally means New Year's Day, it's very common to use お正月 to refer to the entire New Year's holiday period, usually the first few days of January.
Absolutely! The common greeting is 明けましておめでとうございます (Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu), which means 'Happy New Year!'
The 'お' (o) is an honorific prefix. It's added to show politeness and respect for the word that follows, similar to how we might say 'the honorable Mr. Smith.' It makes the term sound more refined.
Generally, many businesses, especially smaller ones, are closed for a few days around お正月. However, larger department stores, convenience stores, and some tourist attractions might remain open or have reduced hours.
It's extremely important. It's a time for family, reflection, and setting intentions for the new year. It's often compared to Christmas in Western cultures in terms of its significance.
People eat special dishes called osechi-ryōri, which are beautifully arranged foods packed in multi-tiered boxes. Each dish has symbolic meaning for good health, happiness, and prosperity in the new year.
Teste dich selbst 36 Fragen
日本で、___はとても大切な日です。
In Japan, New Year's Day is a very important day.
私の家族は___に、おせち料理を食べます。
My family eats Osechi Ryori (New Year's food) on New Year's Day.
___には、友達と神社に行きます。
On New Year's Day, I go to a shrine with my friends.
子どもたちは___にお年玉をもらいます。
Children receive otoshidama (New Year's money) on New Year's Day.
「あけましておめでとうございます」は、___のあいさつです。
“Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu” is a New Year's greeting.
日本の___は1月1日です。
New Year's Day in Japan is January 1st.
This sentence talks about how someone spends New Year's Day.
This sentence specifies the date of New Year's Day in Japan.
This sentence mentions a food eaten on New Year's Day.
Read this aloud:
お正月は何をしますか？
Focus: o-shō-gatsu, nani, shimasu
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
お正月は休みです。
Focus: o-shō-gatsu, yasumi
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
お正月は楽しいです。
Focus: o-shō-gatsu, tanoshii
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Which of these is celebrated on お正月?
お正月 (Oshōgatsu) specifically refers to New Year's Day in Japan.
What is a common traditional activity during お正月 in Japan?
初詣 (hatsumōde), the first shrine visit of the New Year, is a very common tradition during お正月.
Which of these is typically eaten on お正月?
Osechi-ryōri is a traditional set of dishes specially prepared and eaten during お正月.
お正月 is celebrated on December 25th.
お正月 is celebrated on January 1st, New Year's Day.
Many Japanese people go to watch fireworks on お正月.
While there are some fireworks events, it's not a primary tradition for お正月; they are more common in summer festivals.
It is common to receive money in envelopes (お年玉 - Otoshidama) on お正月, especially for children.
お年玉 is a traditional gift of money given to children by adult relatives during お正月.
日本では、___は家族と過ごすのが一般的です。
In Japan, it is common to spend New Year's Day with family.
___には、おせち料理を食べます。
We eat Osechi Ryori (New Year's food) on New Year's Day.
___の準備で、デパートはいつも混んでいます。
Department stores are always crowded with preparations for New Year's Day.
___には、神社にお参りに行きます。
On New Year's Day, we go to a shrine to pray.
子供たちは___にお年玉をもらいます。
Children receive otoshidama (New Year's money) on New Year's Day.
___は、日本人にとって一年で最も大切な祝日の一つです。
New Year's Day is one of the most important holidays of the year for Japanese people.
日本では、___は家族と一緒におせち料理を食べるのが伝統的です。
In Japan, it is traditional to eat Osechi Ryori (traditional New Year's food) with family on New Year's Day (お正月).
新しい年の始まりを祝うため、多くの人が___に初詣に出かけます。
Many people go for 'hatsumode' (first shrine visit of the year) on New Year's Day (お正月) to celebrate the beginning of the new year.
子供たちは___にお年玉をもらえることを楽しみにしています。
Children look forward to receiving 'otoshidama' (New Year's money) on New Year's Day (お正月).
___の期間中、多くの商店が休業するため、事前に買い物を済ませる必要があります。
During the New Year's period (お正月), many shops are closed, so it is necessary to complete shopping beforehand.
友人から「良い___をお迎えください」というメッセージが届きました。
A message saying 'Have a good New Year's Day' (良いお正月をお迎えください) was received from a friend.
日本には、___に門松やしめ飾りを飾る習慣があります。
In Japan, there is a custom of decorating with 'kadomatsu' (pine decorations) and 'shimekazari' (straw rope decorations) on New Year's Day (お正月).
Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) about your favorite New Year's Day memory or tradition in Japan. Use at least two of these words: お正月, 初詣 (hatsumode - first shrine visit of the New Year), おせち料理 (osechi ryori - traditional New Year's food).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
去年の______はとても楽しかったです。家族と一緒に______に行きました。そこで、健康と幸せをお願いしました。家に帰ってから、みんなで美味しい______を食べました。特に伊達巻が好きでした。
Imagine you are explaining the concept of 'お年玉' (otoshidama - New Year's money gift to children) to someone unfamiliar with Japanese culture. Write a brief explanation in Japanese, focusing on when and why it's given.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
______は、______の子供たちに______のお祝いとして渡されるお金です。通常、親や親戚が子供の成長を願って与えます。子供たちは、このお金でおもちゃを買ったり、貯金したりします。
Describe a common activity or custom associated with お正月 in Japan that you find interesting. Explain why you find it interesting.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
______の興味深い______の一つは______です。多くの人が家族や友人と集まり、一緒に時間を過ごします。私がこれを______と思う______は、家族の絆を深める良い機会だからです。
この文章によると、______は何のために準備されますか？
Read this passage:
日本で______といえば、多くの人が______の特別な料理、______を思い浮かべます。これは______のお祝いのために用意される伝統的な料理で、一つ一つの料理に意味が込められています。例えば、黒豆はまめに働くことを願い、数の子は子孫繁栄を願うものです。家族が集まって一緒に食べる______は、日本の______の重要な部分です。
この文章によると、______は何のために準備されますか？
文章の「これは______のお祝いのために用意される伝統的な料理で」という部分が正解の根拠です。
文章の「これは______のお祝いのために用意される伝統的な料理で」という部分が正解の根拠です。
現代の______において、伝統的な遊びの人気はどうですか？
Read this passage:
______には、多くの場合、凧揚げ（たこあげ）や羽根つき（はねつき）のような伝統的な遊びが楽しまれます。これらの遊びは、子供たちが外で活動し、______の______を祝う楽しい方法です。最近では、ゲームをする家族も増えていますが、昔ながらの遊びもまだまだ人気があります。
現代の______において、伝統的な遊びの人気はどうですか？
文章の「最近では、ゲームをする家族も増えていますが、昔ながらの遊びもまだまだ人気があります」という部分が正解の根拠です。
文章の「最近では、ゲームをする家族も増えていますが、昔ながらの遊びもまだまだ人気があります」という部分が正解の根拠です。
______の準備で最も手間がかかるとされているものは何ですか？
Read this passage:
______の準備は、一般的に12月の下旬から始まります。家をきれいに掃除する「大掃除（おおそうじ）」から始まり、______の飾り付け、そして______料理の準備へと続きます。これらの準備は、新しい年を気持ちよく迎えるための大切な習慣です。特に______料理は手間がかかるため、家族で協力して作る家庭が多いです。
______の準備で最も手間がかかるとされているものは何ですか？
文章の「特に______料理は手間がかかるため」という部分が正解の根拠です。
文章の「特に______料理は手間がかかるため」という部分が正解の根拠です。
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
Beispiel
日本ではお正月を家族と過ごします。
Verwandte Inhalte
Dieses Wort in anderen Sprachen
Mehr daily_life Wörter
もう少し
B1A little more.
じゅうしょ
A2The particulars of the place where someone lives.
住所
A2address, residence
～後
A2after
目覚まし
B1Alarm clock. A clock that makes a noise to wake someone up.
目覚まし時計
B1An alarm clock.
ひとりで
A2Alone.
~のに
B1Even though; despite (particle/conjunction).
ごぜん
A2Morning (a.m.).
煩い
B1Noisy; annoying.
