終戦(しゅうせん)

しゅうせん
noun
end of a war
academic
1. end of a war; war's end
The conclusion of a war. In Japanese, most commonly refers to the end of World War II on August 15, 1945, when Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration.
終戦(しゅうせん)から80年(ねん)が経(た)った。
Eighty years have passed since the end of the war.
祖父(そふ)は終戦(しゅうせん)の日(ひ)のことをよく話(はな)してくれた。
My grandfather often told me about the day the war ended.
毎年(まいとし)8月(がつ)15日(にち)に終戦記念日(しゅうせんきねんび)の式典(しきてん)が行(おこな)われる。
Every year on August 15th, a ceremony is held to mark the anniversary of the end of the war.

When used without further context in Japan, 終戦(しゅうせん) almost always refers to the end of World War II (August 15, 1945). 終戦記念日(しゅうせんきねんび) (August 15) is a national day of remembrance, though not an official public holiday. Compare with 敗戦(はいせん) (defeat in war), which more explicitly frames the event as a loss. The choice between 終戦(しゅうせん) and 敗戦(はいせん) can carry political nuance.

Related Words

Antonym: 開戦(かいせん) (outbreak of war)
Related: 休戦(きゅうせん) (armistice; truce)
Related: 停戦(ていせん) (ceasefire)
Related: 大戦(たいせん) (great war, world war)
Compare: 敗戦(はいせん) (defeat in war, lost war)
general
Added 2026.3.23 21:06 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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