除夜(じょや)

Cultural note

除夜(じょや)の鐘(かね) is one of the most iconic sounds of the Japanese New Year. Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times — once for each of the 108 worldly desires (煩悩(ぼんのう)) in Buddhist teaching. The ringing begins on the night of December 31st and often continues past midnight into the new year. It is broadcast on TV as part of NHK's 紅白(こうはく)歌合戦(うたがっせん) end-of-year programming.

Etymology

除(じょ) means "to remove" and 夜(や) means "night." The name refers to the night that removes the old year.

Common collocations

• 除夜(じょや)の鐘(かね) (New Year's Eve bells — the most common use by far)
• 除夜(じょや)の鐘(かね)を撞(つ)く (to ring the New Year's Eve bells)
• 除夜(じょや)の鐘(かね)を聞(き)く (to listen to the New Year's Eve bells)