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.
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.
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.
正月に年賀状が届いた。
New Year's cards arrived on New Year's Day.
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).
Related Words
Related:
喪中 (mourning period)