1.
New Year's greeting card
A postcard or card sent to wish someone a happy New Year. Traditionally sent so that it arrives on January 1st.
正月に年賀状が届いた。
New Year's cards arrived on New Year's Day.
今年の年賀状のデザインを考えている。
I'm thinking about the design for this year's New Year's cards.
年賀状は十二月二十五日までに出す。
I send New Year's cards by December 25th.
USAGE: 年賀状 is an important New Year tradition in Japan. People send cards to friends, relatives, coworkers, and business contacts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 年賀状を書く (to write New Year's cards)
- 年賀状を出す (to send New Year's cards)
- 年賀状を印刷する (to print New Year's cards)
- 年賀状じまい (announcing you'll stop sending cards)
CULTURAL NOTES:
- 年賀ハガキ (official New Year postcards from Japan Post) include a lottery number
- Cards must be sent by Dec 25 to arrive on January 1
- The design often features the year's Chinese zodiac animal (干支)
- "あけましておめでとうございます" is the standard greeting
- If you receive a card from someone you didn't send one to, send a reply by January 7
- Do not send to people who are in 喪中 (mourning)
MODERN TREND: Many people are shifting to digital greetings (LINE, email), leading to the practice of 年賀状じまい (announcing one will stop sending paper cards).