陰暦(いんれき)

いんれき
noun
lunar calendar
time-general
1. lunar calendar
A calendar system based on the cycles of the moon. In Japanese context, typically refers to the traditional lunisolar calendar used in Japan before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1873.
陰暦(いんれき)の正月(しょうがつ)はいつですか。
When is New Year on the lunar calendar?
日本(にほん)は明治(めいじ)から陰暦(いんれき)をやめて太陽暦(たいようれき)を使(つか)っている。
Japan stopped using the lunar calendar and adopted the solar calendar starting from the Meiji era.
七夕(たなばた)やお盆(ぼん)は元々(もともと)陰暦(いんれき)の行事(ぎょうじ)なので、地域(ちいき)によって日(ひ)にちが違(ちが)う。
Tanabata and Obon were originally lunar calendar events, so the dates differ by region.

Literally "shadow calendar" — 陰(いん) (shadow/yin) refers to the moon (as opposed to 陽(よう)/sun). Japan officially switched from the lunisolar calendar (旧暦(きゅうれき)) to the Gregorian calendar (新暦(しんれき)) in 1873 (Meiji 6), but lunar calendar dates still influence many traditional events.

Common collocations

  • 陰暦(いんれき)の正月(しょうがつ) — lunar New Year
  • 陰暦(いんれき)何月何日(なんがつなんにち) — such-and-such date on the lunar calendar
  • 陰暦(いんれき)で数(かぞ)える — to count by the lunar calendar

Similar words

  • 旧暦(きゅうれき) — old calendar (more common in everyday speech for referring to the pre-Meiji calendar)
  • 太陰暦(たいいんれき) — pure lunar calendar (more technical; strictly moon-based without solar correction)
  • 太陽暦(たいようれき) — solar calendar (the opposite: based on the sun, i.e., the Gregorian calendar)
  • 新暦(しんれき) — new calendar (the Gregorian calendar, contrasted with 旧暦(きゅうれき))

Related Words

Compare: 旧暦(きゅうれき) (old calendar)
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Added 2026.5.7 0:08 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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