一月(いちがつ)

一月(いちがつ) is January - literally "month one."

Etymology

Number + 月(がつ) = month name. All 12 months follow this pattern.

Pronunciation

• 一月(いちがつ): January (the month)
• 一月(ひとつき): one month (duration) - different reading

Cultural note

• お正月(しょうがつ): New Year holiday (first days of January)
• 元日(がんじつ)/元旦(がんたん): New Year's Day (January 1st)
• 初詣(はつもうで): first shrine visit of the year
• 成人(せいじん)の日(ひ): Coming of Age Day (second Monday)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS (New Year):

• 明(あ)けましておめでとうございます: Happy New Year

Usage

• "In January": 一月(いちがつ)に (一月(いちがつ)に引(ひ)っ越(こ)す, to move in January); the に is normally kept with month names.
• The end of the month: 一月(いちがつ)末(まつ); early, mid and late January: 一月(いちがつ)上旬(じょうじゅん), 中旬(ちゅうじゅん), 下旬(げじゅん).
• A length of time is counted with 〜ヶ月(げつ): 一(いっ)ヶ月(げつ) or 一月(ひとつき) (one month), not 一月(いちがつ).