Translation and Meaning of: 月 - tsuki

The Japanese word 月[つき] is one of those that every Japanese learner encounters early in their journey. It means "moon" and is also used to refer to "month," a dualism that reflects the influence of the lunar calendar on Japanese culture. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, and how it is perceived in Japan, as well as tips for memorizing it effectively.

If you've ever wondered why 月 appears in words like 月曜日 (Monday) or 今月 (this month), you'll discover here how a single kanji can have such distinct meanings. We will also discuss its use in everyday expressions and cultural curiosities that make this word a fundamental piece in learning Japanese.

Meaning and origin of 月[つき]

The kanji 月 represents both the moon in the sky and the passage of time in months. This duality has historical roots: ancient Japan used a lunar calendar, where each complete cycle of the moon marked a new month. Therefore, 月 ended up carrying both meanings in an inseparable way.

In Chinese writing, which gave rise to kanji, the character 月 originally depicted the crescent shape of the moon. Over time, its representation simplified, but it retained the visual essence. Interestingly, when used as a radical in other kanji (like in 明, which means "bright"), 月 often refers to brightness, not the concept of time.

Everyday use and common expressions

In daily life, 月[つき] appears in surprisingly varied contexts. In 今月 (こんげつ), it means "this month," while in 月見 (つきみ) it refers to the traditional moon viewing in autumn. The word also forms part of the names of the days of the week, such as 月曜日 (げつようび) for Monday, showing how the moon marked the beginning of the week in the traditional calendar.

An interesting expression is 月日が経つ (つきひがたつ), which literally means "the moon and the sun pass," but it is used to say that time flies. This type of construction reveals how natural elements like the moon are deeply intertwined with the Japanese perception of the passage of time.

Tips for memorizing 月[つき]

An effective way to memorize 月 is to associate its shape with the crescent moon. Notice how the kanji retains the characteristic curve, especially in calligraphic fonts. Another technique is to create mental connections: imagine the moon completing its cycle to mark a new month, linking the two main meanings.

For practical students, it's worth noting that 月 as "month" usually appears in the second position of compound words (as in 先月 - last month), while as "moon" it tends to come first (月見 - moon viewing). This is not an absolute rule, but it serves as a helpful guide to get started.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• つき (tsuki) - moon
• がつ (gatsu) - Month
• げつ (getsu) - month (used in formal contexts)
• きづき (kiduki) - perception or awareness
• つくり (tsukuri) - creation or construction
• つきあかり (tsukiakari) - Luz da lua
• つきひ (tsukihi) - passage of time (referring to months and days, symbolizing the flow of time)
• つきよ (tsukiyo) - moonlight night
• つきさま (tsukisama) - the moon (honorific term)

月

Romaji: tsuki
Kana: つき
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: Moon; month

Meaning in English: moon;month

Definition: A celestial object that is a satellite of Earth and shines in the sky at night.

Example Sentences - (月) tsuki

See below some example sentences:

私たちは来月転居する予定です。

Watashitachi wa raigetsu tenkyo suru yotei desu

We plan to move next month.

We plan to move next month.

• 私たちは - 私たち
• 来月 - next month in Japanese
• 転居する - "転居する"
• 予定です - "計画された"

私の生年月日は何ですか？

Watashi no seinen gappi wa nan desu ka?

What is my date of birth?

What is my date of birth?

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - Japanese particle that indicates possession or relationship
• 生年月日 - Japanese compound noun meaning "date of birth"
• は - Japanese particle indicating the subject of the sentence
• 何 - Japanese interrogative pronoun meaning "what"
• ですか - Japanese expression indicating a polite question

月が綺麗ですね。

Tsuki ga kirei desu ne

the moon is beautiful

The moon is beautiful.

• 月 - means "moon"
• が - subject particle
• 綺麗 - means "beautiful"
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form
• ね - confirmation particle

月末には給料が入る。

Getsuryou ni wa kyuuryo ga hairu

At the end of the month

The salary is paid at the end of the month.

• 月末 - 月末 (getsumatsu)
• には - It's a Japanese particle that indicates time and means "at."
• 給料 - "Salário" significa 給与 (きゅうよ, kyūyo) em japonês.
• が - It is a Japanese particle that indicates the subject of the sentence and means "the."
• 入る - It means "enter" in Japanese and indicates that the salary will be deposited.

三日月が輝く夜空は美しいです。

Mikazuki ga kagayaku yozora wa utsukushii desu

The night when the crescent moon shines is beautiful.

The night sky where the crescent moon shines is beautiful.

• 三日月 - means "crescent moon" and is represented by the ideogram 三日月.
• が - grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case, "crescent moon".
• 輝く - verb that means "to shine" and is represented by the ideogram 輝く.
• 夜空 - means "night sky" and is represented by the characters 夜空.
• は - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "night sky".
• 美しい - adjective that means "beautiful" and is represented by the ideogram 美しい.
• です - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite form of the sentence.

この本は来月に刊行されます。

Kono hon wa raigetsu ni kankō sa remasu

This book will be published next month.

• この - demonstrative "this"
• 本 - noun "book"
• は - Topic particle
• 来月 - noun "next month"
• に - particle of time
• 刊行 - noun "publication"
• されます - passive form of the verb "to do"

この法律は来月から施行されます。

Kono houritsu wa raigetsu kara shikou saremasu

This law will come into effect next month.

This law will be applied next month.

• この - this
• 法律 - law
• は - Topic particle
• 来月 - Next month
• から - A partir de
• 施行 - implementation
• されます - will be held

この計画は来月に実施されます。

Kono keikaku wa raigetsu ni jisshi saremasu

This plan will be implemented next month.

• この計画 - This plan
• は - Topic particle
• 来月 - Next month
• に - particle of time
• 実施されます - Will be implemented

この道路は来月開通する予定です。

Kono dōro wa raigetsu kaitō suru yotei desu

This road is scheduled to open next month.

This road will be open next month.

• この道路 - this road
• は - Topic particle
• 来月 - Next month
• 開通する - will be inaugurated
• 予定です - is planned

五月蝿いと言われる季節が嫌いです。

Gogatsubyoui to iwareru kisetsu ga kirai desu

I don't like the season it's called "Gogatsubyoui"

I hate the season, which is said to be can fly.

• 五月蝿い (gogatsubyoui) - means "noisy like May flies", referring to the constant buzzing of insects during the month of May in Japan.
• と言われる (to iwareru) - means "it is said that".
• 季節 (kisetsu) - means "season".
• が (ga) - Subject particle.
• 嫌い (kirai) - means "to hate" or "to dislike".
• です (desu) - polite way of "being" or "being".