古代(こだい)

こだい
noun, no-adjective
ancient times; antiquity
1. ancient times; antiquity
A period of history from the distant past, typically before the medieval period.
古代(こだい)ギリシャの文明(ぶんめい)
Ancient Greek civilization
古代(こだい)の遺跡(いせき)を発掘(はっくつ)する。
To excavate ancient ruins.
古代(こだい)日本(にほん)の歴史(れきし)を学(まな)ぶ。
To study the history of ancient Japan.

古代(こだい) refers to the earliest period of recorded history. In Japanese historiography, it typically covers the period up to around the 12th century (before the 鎌倉(かまくら)時代(じだい)).

JAPANESE HISTORICAL PERIODS:

  • 古代(こだい): ancient (up to ~12th century)
  • 中世(ちゅうせい): medieval (~12th-16th century)
  • 近世(きんせい): early modern (~16th-19th century)
  • 近代(きんだい): modern (Meiji onwards)
  • 現代(げんだい): contemporary

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 古代(こだい)文明(ぶんめい): ancient civilization
  • 古代(こだい)遺跡(いせき): ancient ruins
  • 古代(こだい)史(し): ancient history
  • 古代(こだい)ギリシャ: ancient Greece
  • 古代(こだい)エジプト: ancient Egypt

USAGE:
Also functions as a no-adjective: 古代(こだい)の人々(ひとびと) (ancient people).

Related Words

Related: 中世(ちゅうせい) (medieval)
Related: 近世(きんせい) (early modern)
Related: 近代(きんだい) (modern)
Antonym: 現代(げんだい) (contemporary)
general
Added 2026.1.16 14:20 · Revised 2026.4.14 12:00
05000/05324_kodai