(みそか)

みそか
noun
last day of the month
1. last day of the month
The final day of any month. Originally meant the thirtieth day, but now refers to the last day regardless of how many days the month has.
三十日(みそか)支払(しはら)いをする。
I make payments on the last day of the month.
毎月(まいつき)三十日(みそか)()()りがある。
There is a deadline on the last day of every month.
二月(にがつ)三十日(みそか)二十八日(にじゅうはちにち)二十九日(にじゅうくにち)になる。
The last day of February falls on the 28th or 29th.

ETYMOLOGY: 三十日(みそか) literally means the thirtieth day (三十(みそ) is an old counting word for thirty + (), day). It has come to mean the last day of any month.

RELATED WORDS:

  • 大晦日(おおみそか): New Year's Eve (literally 'great last day') — the last day of the year, December 31st
  • 晦日(みそか): an alternate kanji spelling with the same meaning

USAGE: Less common in everyday speech than 月末(げつまつ) (end of the month), but 三十日(みそか) has a traditional feel and is still used, especially in set phrases and financial contexts. The derived word 大晦日(おおみそか) is extremely common.