Study Resource: Vocabulary for discussing dates in Japanese
Japanese days of the week and their origins
The days of the week in Japanese are each associated with a celestial body, but the kanji for each day are often associated with elements. Have a look!
| English | Japanese Day of the Week | Celestial Body | Source of Kanji | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunday | 日曜日 | にちようび Transcription: nichiyōbi | 太陽 Transcription: taiyō Translation: the sun | 日: the sun |
Monday | 月曜日 | げつようび Transcription: getsuyōbi | 月 Transcription: tsuki Translation: the moon | 月: the moon |
Tuesday | 火曜日 | かようび Transcription: kayōbi | 火星 Transcription: kasei Translation: Mars | 火: fire |
Wednesday | 水曜日 | すいようび Transcription: suiyōbi | 水星 Transcription: suisei Translation: Mercury | 水: water |
Thursday | 木曜日 | もくようび Transcription: mokuyōbi | 木星 Transcription: mokusei Translation: Jupiter | 木: wood, tree |
Friday | 金曜日 | きんようび Transcription: kin’yōbi | 金星 Transcription: kinsei Translation: Venus | 金: metal, gold |
Saturday | 土曜日 | どようび Transcription: doyōbi | 土星 Transcription: dosei Translation: Saturn | 土: earth, soil |
What day? | 何曜日 | なんようび Transcription: nan yōbi | - | 曜: to shine 日* (transcribed bi): day |
The day of the month in Japanese: 〜日 (nichi)
The chart below illustrates how to say the day of the month (e.g. "the 15th" or "the 24th") in Japanese.
| Number | Kanji | Hiragana | Number | Kanji | Hiragana | Number | Kanji | Hiragana |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一日 | ついたち Transcription: tsuitachi | 11 | 十一日 | じゅういちにち Transcription: jūichi nichi | 21 | 二十一日 | にじゅういちにち Transcription: nijūichi nichi |
| 2 | 二日 | ふつか Transcription: futsuka | 12 | 十二日 | じゅうににち Transcription: jūni nichi | 22 | 二十二日 | にじゅうににち Transcription: nijūni nichi |
| 3 | 三日 | みっか Transcription: mikka | 13 | 十三日 | じゅうさんにち Transcription: jūsan nichi | 23 | 二十三日 | にじゅうさんにち Transcription: nijūsan nichi |
| 4 | 四日 | よっか Transcription: yokka | 14 | 十四日 | じゅうよっか Transcription: jūyokka | 24 | 二十四日 | にじゅうよっか Transcription: nijūyokka |
| 5 | 五日 | いつか Transcription: itsuka | 15 | 十五日 | じゅうごにち Transcription: jūgo nichi | 25 | 二十五日 | にじゅうごにち Transcription: nijūgo nichi |
| 6 | 六日 | むいか Transcription: muika | 16 | 十六日 | じゅうろくにち Transcription: jūroku nichi | 26 | 二十六日 | にじゅうろくにち Transcription: nijūroku nichi |
| 7 | 七日 | なのか Transcription: nanoka | 17 | 十七日 | じゅうしちにち Transcription: jūshichi nichi | 27 | 二十七日 | にじゅうしちにち Transcription: nijūshichi nichi |
| 8 | 八日 | ようか Transcription: yōka | 18 | 十八日 | じゅうはちにち Transcription: jūhachi nichi | 28 | 二十八日 | にじゅうはちにち Transcription: nijūhachi nichi |
| 9 | 九日 | ここのか Transcription: kokonoka | 19 | 十九日 | じゅうくにち Transcription: jūku nichi | 29 | 二十九日 | にじゅうくにち Transcription: nijūku nichi |
| 10 | 十日 | とおか Transcription: tōka | 20 | 二十日 | はつか Transcription: hatsuka | 30 | 三十日 | さんじゅうにち Transcription: sanjū nichi |
| 31 | 三十一日 | さんじゅういち Transcription: sanjū-ichi nichi | ? | 何日 | なんにち Transcription: nan nichi |
Names of the months in Japanese
Below are listed the common and traditional names of the months in Japanese. The common names are used in everyday contexts, but the traditional names might be used in literature, artistic language, or in religious contexts, so it's important to recognize both!
| English | Common Name | Traditional Name(s) | Notes on the traditional name* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | 一月 | いちがつ Transcription: ichigatsu | 睦月 | むつき Transcription: mutsuki | the month in which relatives gather for the New Year and enjoy each other's company |
February | 二月 | にがつ Transcription: nigatsu | 如月 | きさらぎ Transcription: kisaragi | the month in which people put on extra layers of clothes because it's still chilly |
March | 三月 | さんがつ Transcription: sangatsu | 弥生 | やよい Transcription: yayoi | the month in which trees and grasses grow |
April | 四月 | しがつ Transcription: shigatsu | 卯月 | うづき Transcription: uzuki | the month in which 卯の花 (transcribed u no hana, meaning “the flower of deutzia”) blooms |
May | 五月 | ごがつ Transcription: gogatsu | 皐月 | さつき Transcription: satsuki | the month in which farmers plant rice seedlings |
June | 六月 | ろくがつ Transcription: rokugatsu | 水無月 | みなづき / みなつき Transcription: minazuki / minatsuki | the month in which farmers draw water into their rice paddy |
July | 七月 | しちがつ Transcription: shichigatsu | 文月 | ふみづき / ふづき Transcription: fumizuki / fuzuki | the month in which the ears of rice ripen |
August | 八月 | はちがつ Transcription: hachigatsu | 葉月 | はづき / はつき Transcription: hazuki / hatsuki | the month in which the leaves of trees fall |
September | 九月 | くがつ Transcription: kugatsu | 長月 | ながつき / ながづき Transcription: nagatsuki / nagazuki | the month in which the night is long |
October | 十月 | じゅうがつ Transcription: jūgatsu | 神無月 | かんなづき / かむなづき Transcription: kan'nazuki / kamunazuki | The month of gods. Or, the month in which all the local gods are absent because they gather together at Izumo Shinto Shrine. |
November | 十一月 | じゅういちがつ Transcription: jūichigatsu | 霜月 | しもつき Transcription: shimotsuki | the month in which frost forms |
December | 十二月 | じゅうにがつ Transcription: jūnigatsu | 師走 | しわす Transcription: shiwasu | the month in which busy Buddhist priests run around to fulfill their duties |
What moth? | 何月 | なんがつ Transcription: nan gatsu | |||
Durations of days, weeks, months, years, and centuries in Japanese
The chart below describes how to describe a duration of days (e.g. 3 days), weeks (e.g. 3 days), months (e.g. 3 months), years (e.g. 3 years), and centuries (e.g. 3 centuries) in Japanese. The spelling in kanji is given first, and then the hiragana and pronunciation. Notice that 〜間 (transcribed kan) is required if you're giving a duration of weeks or of 1 day, but everywhere else it's optional!
| # | Days 〜日(間) | Weeks 〜週間 | Months 〜か月(間) | Years 〜年(間) | Centuries 〜世紀(間) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 一日間* いちにちかん* Transcription: ichi nichikan Translation: 1 day | 一週間 いっしゅうかん Transcription: isshūkan Translation: 1 week | 一か月(間) いっかげつ(かん) Transcription: ikkagetsu(kan) Translation: 1 month | 一年(間) いちねん(かん) Transcription: ichi nen(kan) Translation: 1 year | 一世紀(間) いっせいき Transcription: isseiki | |
2 | 二日(間) ふつか(かん) Transcription: futsuka(kan) | 二週間 にしゅうかん Transcription: nishūkan | 二か月(間) にかげつ(かん) Transcription: nikagetsu(kan) | 二年(間) にねん(かん) Transcription: ni nen(kan) | 二世紀(間) にせいき Transcription: ni seiki | |
3 | 三日(間) みっか(かん) Transcription: mikka(kan) | 三週間 さんしゅうかん Transcription: sanshūkan | 三か月(間) さんかげつ(かん) Transcription: sankagetsu(kan) | 三年(間) さんねん(かん) Transcription: san nen(kan) | 三世紀(間) さんせいき Transcription: san seiki | |
4 | 四日(間) よっか(かん) Transcription: yokka(kan) | 四週間 よんしゅうかん Transcription: yonshūkan | 四か月(間) よんかげつ(かん) Transcription: yonkagetsu(kan) | 四年(間) よねん(かん) Transcription: yo nen(kan) | 四世紀(間) よんせいき Transcription: yon seiki | |
5 | 五日(間) いつか(かん) Transcription: itsuka(kan) | 五週間 ごしゅうかん Transcription: goshūkan | 五か月(間) ごかげつ(かん) Transcription: gokagetsu(kan) | 五年(間) ごねん(かん) Transcription: go nen(kan) | 五世紀(間) ごせいき Transcription: go seiki | |
6 | 六日(間) むいか(かん) Transcription: muika(kan) | 六週間 ろくしゅうかん Transcription: rokushūkan | 六か月(間) ろっかげつ(かん) Transcription: rokkagetsu(kan) | 六年(間) ろくねん(かん) Transcription: roku nen(kan) | 六世紀(間) ろくせいき Transcription: roku seiki | |
7 | 七日(間) なのか(かん) Transcription: nanoka(kan) | 七週間 ななしゅうかん Transcription: nanashūkan | 七か月(間) ななかげつ(かん) Transcription: nanakagetsu(kan) | 七年(間) しちねん(かん) Transcription: shichi nen(kan) ななねん(かん) Transcription: nana nen(kan) | 七世紀(間) ななせいき Transcription: nana seiki | |
8 | 八日(間) ようか(かん) Transcription: yōka(kan) | 八週間 はっしゅうかん Transcription: hasshūkan | 八か月(間) はちかげつ(かん) Transcription: hachikagetsu(kan) はっかげつ(かん) Transcription: hakkagetsu(kan) | 八年(間) はちねん(かん) Transcription: hachi nen(kan) | 八世紀(間) はっせいき Transcription: hasseiki | |
9 | 九日(間) ここのか(かん) Transcription: kokonoka(kan) | 九週間 きゅうしゅうかん Transcription: kyūshūkan | 九か月(間) きゅうかげつ(かん) Transcription: kyūkagetsu(kan) | 九年(間) くねん(かん) Transcription: ku nen(kan) きゅうねん(かん) Transcription: kyū nen | 九世紀(間) きゅうせいき Transcription: kyū seiki | |
10 | 十日(間) とおか(かん) Transcription: tōka(kan) | 十週間 じゅっしゅうかん Transcription: jusshūkan | 十か月(間) じゅっかげつ(かん) Transcription: jukkagetsu(kan) | 十年(間) じゅうねん(かん) Transcription: jū nen(kan) | 十世紀(間) じゅっせいき Transcription: jusseiki じっせいき Transcription: jisseiki | |
11 | 十四日(間) じゅうよっか(かん) Transcription: jūyokka(kan) | 十一週間 じゅういっしゅうかん Transcription: jūisshūkan | 十一か月(間) じゅういっかげつ(かん) Transcription: jūikkagetsu(kan) | 十一年(間) じゅういちねん(かん) Transcription: jūichi nen(kan) | 十一世紀(間) じゅういっせいき Transcription: jūisseiki | |
12 | 二十日(間) はつか(かん) Transcription: hatsuka(kan) | 十二週間 じゅうにしゅうかん Transcription: jūnishūkan | 十二か月(間) じゅうにかげつ(かん) Transcription: jūnikagetsu(kan) | 十二年(間) じゅうにねん(かん) Transcription: jūni nen(kan) | 十二世紀(間) じゅうにせいき Transcription: jūni seiki | |
? | 何日(間) なんにち(かん) Transcription: nan nichikan Translation: (for) days How many days? | 何週間 なんしゅうかん Transcription: nanshūkan Translation: (for) weeks How many weeks? | 何か月(間) なんかげつ(かん) Transcription: nankagetsu(kan) Translation: (for) months How many months? | 何年(間) なんねん(かん) Transcription: nan nen(kan) Translation: (for) years How many years? | 何世紀(間) なんせいき Transcription: nan seiki Translation: (for) centuries How many centuries? | |
Naming centuries in Japanese
The chart below illustrates how to create phrases like "the first century" or "the twelfth century" in Japanese.
| Number | Japanese | |
|---|---|---|
1 | 一世紀 | いっせいき Transcription: isseiki |
2 | 二世紀 | にせいき Transcription: ni seiki |
3 | 三世紀 | さんせいき Transcription: san seiki |
4 | 四世紀 | よんせいき Transcription: yon seiki |
5 | 五世紀 | ごせいき Transcription: go seiki |
6 | 六世紀 | ろくせいき Transcription: roku seiki |
7 | 七世紀 | ななせいき Transcription: nana seiki |
8 | 八世紀 | はっせいき Transcription: hasseiki |
9 | 九世紀 | きゅうせいき Transcription: kyū seiki |
10 | 十世紀 | じゅっせいき Transcription: jusseiki じっせいき Transcription: jisseiki |
What century? | 何世紀 | なんせいき Transcription: nan seiki |
Some bonus Japanese time expressions
Here are some extra time expressions that will help you talk about dates in Japanese.
| Timing | Day | Week | Month | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the __ before last | おととい Transcription: ototoi Translation: the day before yesterday | せんせんしゅう Transcription: sensenshū Translation: the week before last | せんせんげつ Transcription: sensengetsu Translation: the month before last | おととし Transcription: ototoshi Translation: the year before last |
| last __ | きのう Transcription: kinō Translation: yesterday | せんしゅう Transcription: senshū Translation: last week | せんげつ Transcription: sengetsu Translation: last month | きょねん Transcription: kyonen Translation: last year |
| this __ | きょう Transcription: kyō Translation: today | こんしゅう Transcription: konshū Translation: this week | こんげつ Transcription: kongetsu Translation: this month | ことし Transcription: kotoshi Translation: this year |
| next ___ | あした Transcription: ashita Translation: tomorrow | らいしゅう Transcription: raishū Translation: next week | らいげつ Transcription: raigetsu Translation: next month | らいねん Transcription: rainen Translation: next year |
| the __ after next | あさって Transcription: asatte Translation: the day after tomorrow | さらいしゅう Transcription: saraishū Translation: the week after next | さらいげつ Transcription: saraigetsu Translation: the month after next | さらいねん Transcription: sarainen Translation: the year after next |
| every __ | まいにち Transcription: mainichi Translation: every day | まいしゅう Transcription: maishū Translation: every week | まいつき Transcription: maitsuki Translation: every month | まいとし、まいねん Transcription: maitoshi, mainen Translation: every year |
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