Meaning
The N1 kanji, 暦 (koyomi / reki), primarily means "calendar" or "almanac." It represents how we mark time and organize our lives. A calendar is crucial for planning, remembering events, and understanding the progression of seasons and years. This is precisely the concept 暦 embodies in Japanese.
To understand how its meaning connects to its visual form, it's helpful to look at its origins. The left-hand side of 暦 is the radical 日 (nichi/hi), meaning "sun" or "day." This component is intuitive, as calendars fundamentally track days and the sun's cycles. The right-hand side, 厤 (lì), is a phonetic component that also carries a semantic hint of "passing through" or "experience." Some etymological explanations break 厤 down further: 厂 (cliff/factory) + 止 (stop/foot) + 禾 (grain). Imagine observing the sun's position throughout the year, marking the "steps" (止) of time as the "grain" (禾) grows and seasons "pass." This ancient process of tracking agricultural cycles using the sun was the foundation for calendars. Thus, 暦 visually represents the sun's passage and the methodical tracking of time, often for agricultural purposes.
This kanji has 16 strokes, which might seem like a lot, but its components are logical once you know them. It is a Grade 8 kanji, taught in secondary school as part of the Jōyō kanji list. This aligns with its N1 JLPT level.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The On'yomi (Chinese-derived reading) for 暦 is primarily レキ (reki). This reading is commonly used when 暦 is part of a compound word, especially when discussing general concepts related to time, history, and different types of calendars.
- 歴史 (rekishi) — This is a very common word meaning "history." It combines 暦 (calendar/chronology) with 史 (history). Calendars are essential for understanding historical timelines, making this combination logical.
- 西暦 (seireki) — This refers to the "Christian era" or "A.D." It combines 西 (west) with 暦 (calendar), indicating the Western calendar system widely used today.
- 暦年 (rekinen) — Meaning "calendar year." This distinguishes a year as defined by a calendar from a fiscal year or academic year. It combines 暦 (calendar) with 年 (year).
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The Kun'yomi (native Japanese reading) for 暦 is こよみ (koyomi). This reading is typically used when the kanji stands alone or is combined with other kanji in a way that feels more intrinsically Japanese, often referring directly to a physical calendar or almanac.
- 暦 (koyomi) — When used alone, this word means "calendar" or "almanac." It is a traditional term for the tool that tracks time.
- 旧暦 (kyūreki) — This means "old calendar" or "lunar calendar." It combines 旧 (old) with 暦 (calendar), contrasting it with modern solar calendars. Many traditional Japanese festivals still follow the 旧暦.
- 日めくり暦 (himekuri-goyomi) — This term refers to a "tear-off calendar," where you remove a page each day. It combines 日 (day), めくる (to turn over), and 暦 (calendar).
Common Words & Compounds
Here are more words and compounds using 暦, grouped by theme:
Types of Calendars & Eras
- 陰暦 (inreki) — lunar calendar (literally "shadow calendar")
- 陽暦 (yōreki) — solar calendar (literally "light calendar")
- 和暦 (wareki) — Japanese calendar (referring to era names like Reiwa, Heisei)
- 太陰暦 (taiinreki) — lunisolar calendar (a type of calendar used in many East Asian cultures)
- グレゴリオ暦 (guregorio-reki) — Gregorian calendar (the internationally accepted calendar)
- 旧暦 (kyūreki) — old calendar, traditional calendar (often lunar)
Calendar-Related Terms
- 暦日 (rekijitsu) — calendar day (as opposed to working day)
- 暦注 (rekichū) — calendar annotations (notes on lucky/unlucky days, events, etc.)
- 暦法 (rekihō) — calendrical system, method of making a calendar
- 暦学 (rekigaku) — calendrical science, study of calendars
- 頒暦 (hanreki) — publication of a calendar/almanac
- 具暦 (gureki) — detailed almanac (contains specific information for rituals, auspicious days, etc.)
Example Sentences
来年の暦がもうすぐ発売されます。
Rainen no koyomi ga mō sugu hatsubai saimasu.
Next year's calendar will be released soon.
暦を確認して、会議の日程を決めましょう。
Koyomi o kakunin shite, kaigi no nittei o kimemashō.
Let's check the calendar and decide the meeting schedule.
日本の和暦は、元号によって年を表します。
Nihon no wareki wa, gengō ni yotte toshi o arawashimasu.
The Japanese calendar expresses years by era names.
世界中で異なる暦法が用いられてきました。
Sekaijū de kotonaru rekihō ga mochiirarete kimashita.
Different calendrical systems have been used around the world.
古代エジプトの暦は、ナイル川の氾濫を予測するために作られました。
Kodai Ejiputo no koyomi wa, Nairu-gawa no hanran o yosoku suru tame ni tsukuraremashita.
The ancient Egyptian calendar was created to predict the flooding of the Nile River.
西暦2023年は、世界共通の年号です。
Seireki nisen nijūsan-nen wa, sekai kyōtsū no nengō desu.
The year 2023 A.D. is a universally common year designation.
彼は古い暦の研究に没頭しています。
Kare wa furui koyomi no kenkyū ni bottō shite imasu.
He is engrossed in the study of old calendars.
暦の注釈には、縁起の良い日や悪い日が書かれています。
Koyomi no chūshaku ni wa, engi no ii hi ya warui hi ga kakarete imasu.
The calendar's annotations include auspicious and inauspicious days.
Memory Tip
To help remember 暦, consider its components. On the left is 日 (sun). On the right, think of 厤 as "history" or "passing time," or even "grain steps." Imagine the "sun" (日) moving across the sky. Ancient people marked its passage, observing the "steps" (止, part of 厤) of time. This allowed them to track the growth of "grain" (禾, also part of 厤) and the changing seasons. This systematic observation of the sun's journey and agricultural cycles led to the creation of the "calendar." Thus, 暦 can be remembered as "the sun-calendar tracking the steps of grain."