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道Nihongo Path
旬

旬·ten-day period, season (for a food)

On-yomi
ジュンシュン
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
上旬じょうじゅんfirst third of a month
中旬ちゅうじゅんmiddle third of a month
下旬げじゅんlast third of a month
旬しゅんthe season when a food is at its best

Example sentences

  1. 来月の上旬に出張する。

    らいげつのじょうじゅんにしゅっちょうする。

    I'm going on a business trip early next month.

  2. この魚は今が旬だ。

    このさかなはいまがしゅんだ。

    This fish is in season right now.

  3. 工事は五月の下旬に終わる予定です。

    こうじはごがつのげじゅんにおわるよていです。

    The construction is scheduled to finish in late May.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 上旬 as じょうしゅん — the calendar readings are all じゅん
  • 旬 alone is しゅん and means peak season for food, not a ten-day span

Memory aid

Picture it

日 (day) wrapped up in 勹: a bundle of ten days — and the short window in which a food is at its best.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 旬 mean?