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道Nihongo Path
暦

暦·calendar, almanac

On-yomi
レキ
Kun-yomi
こよみ

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
西暦せいれきthe Western calendar, A.D.
旧暦きゅうれきthe old lunisolar calendar
太陽暦たいようれきsolar calendar
還暦かんれきone's sixtieth birthday

Example sentences

  1. 書類には西暦で書いてください。

    しょるいにはせいれきでかいてください。

    Please write the year in the Western calendar on the form.

  2. 祖父の還暦を家族で祝った。

    そふのかんれきをかぞくでいわった。

    The family celebrated my grandfather's sixtieth birthday.

  3. 旧暦の正月は二月ごろになる。

    きゅうれきのしょうがつはにがつごろになる。

    New Year on the old calendar falls around February.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • 暦 and 歴 are both レキ — 経歴 is history, 西暦 is the calendar.
  • 還暦 is かんれき and means turning sixty, not simply 'a birthday'.

Memory aid

Picture it

Grain 禾 under a cliff 厂, with the sun 日 below: crops counted against the days — the farmer's calendar.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 暦 mean?