(せきじつ)

せきじつ
noun
former times; days of old
time-period
1. former times; days of old; the past
A literary or formal word referring to times long past, often used when reflecting on how things used to be.
昔日(せきじつ)面影(おもかげ)ない
There is no trace of what it once was.
昔日(せきじつ)栄光(えいこう)(しの)
To look back fondly on past glories.
These castle ruins evoke the grandeur of former times.

A literary, formal word used primarily in written Japanese. Almost always appears in set phrases like 昔日(せきじつ)面影(おもかげ) (trace of former days) or 昔日(せきじつ)栄光(えいこう) (past glory). Conveys a sense of nostalgia or reflection on how much has changed.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • (むかし): long ago; the past — the everyday word for the past, used in conversation and stories
  • 往時(おうじ): former times — similarly literary, but emphasizes a specific past era
  • (いにしえ): ancient times — even more literary and poetic, referring to very distant history