忘 年 会(ぼうねんかい)

ぼうねんかい

noun

year-end party

1. year-end party

A party held at the end of the year, typically in December, where coworkers, friends, or club members gather to celebrate and forget the troubles of the past year. Literally 'forget the year gathering.' A deeply ingrained custom in Japanese workplace and social culture.

忘年会(ぼうねんかい)に参加(さんか)する。

I'll attend the year-end party.

会社(かいしゃ)の忘年会(ぼうねんかい)は金曜日(きんようび)に開(ひら)かれる。

The company year-end party will be held on Friday.

今年(ことし)の忘年会(ぼうねんかい)は駅前(えきまえ)の居酒屋(いざかや)で行(おこな)うことになった。

This year's year-end party will be held at the izakaya in front of the station.

Usage

忘年会(ぼうねんかい) season runs from late November through December. Workplaces, clubs, and friend groups each hold their own parties, so people may attend several during the season. The word literally means 'forget-year-gathering' (忘(ぼう) forget + 年(ねん) year + 会(かい) gathering).

Common collocations

忘年会(ぼうねんかい)を開(ひら)く (hold a year-end party)
忘年会(ぼうねんかい)に参加(さんか)する (attend a year-end party)
忘年会(ぼうねんかい)の幹事(かんじ) (organizer of the year-end party)
忘年会(ぼうねんかい)シーズン (year-end party season)

Related words

新年会(しんねんかい) is the New Year counterpart, held in January to celebrate the beginning of the year.
歓送迎会(かんそうげいかい) is a welcome/farewell party for colleagues.

Related Words

Compare: 新年会(しんねんかい) (New Year's party)

Related: 飲(の)み会(かい) (drinking party; casual)

Related: 歓送迎会(かんそうげいかい) (is a welcome/farewell party…)

Related: 宴会場(えんかいじょう) (banquet hall)

general

Added 2026.3.8 19:04 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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