Meaning
季 (キ, ki) means season — spring, summer, autumn, or winter. It also carries an older sense of the last or the youngest, a nuance that survives in classical texts. In everyday modern Japanese, the seasonal meaning dominates. You will need this kanji whenever reading or writing about nature, climate, festivals, or the passing of time.
Etymologically, 季 is a compound ideograph: 禾 (か — a grain stalk bowing under ripe ears) sits atop 子 (し — child). The original meaning was the youngest child or the last-born. Just as the youngest sibling comes last in birth order, ripened grain arrives last in the agricultural cycle. That idea of coming last widened to mean the final period of a cycle, then season in general.
This shift also reflects Japan's deep ties to the agricultural calendar. For centuries, planting and harvest rhythms shaped daily life. A word rooted in family birth order naturally grew into rich seasonal meaning. 季 has 8 strokes and is taught at grade 4 in elementary school. Knowing it at the JLPT N2 level opens up a broad range of nature, culture, and literary vocabulary.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The only on'yomi is キ (ki), from historical Middle Chinese. It dominates modern Japanese and appears in virtually every compound containing 季. You will find it across weather forecasts, business reports, sports coverage, and haiku. At N2, this reading comes up constantly.
- 季節 (kisetsu) — season; the standard everyday word for any of the four seasons
- 四季 (shiki) — the four seasons; evokes the full annual cycle
- 季語 (kigo) — seasonal reference word in haiku, anchoring the poem to a specific time of year
- 冬季 (tōki) — winter season; common in formal contexts such as sporting events
- 季刊 (kikan) — quarterly; a publication issued once every three months
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi すえ (sue) means the end, the last, or the youngest. Largely archaic, it rarely appears outside classical literature and poetry. You may encounter it when studying 古文 (kobun), but for everyday use, キ is all you need.
- 季 (sue) — the youngest; the end of a period (archaic/literary use only)
Common Words & Compounds
Season shapes nearly every aspect of Japanese life — cuisine, fashion, festivals, poetry. So 季 turns up across a wide range of compounds. Below are twelve key words, organized by theme.
The Four Seasons and General Seasonal Vocabulary:
- 季節 (kisetsu) — season; the most common word for any of the four seasons
- 四季 (shiki) — the four seasons; a culturally loaded phrase evoking the full annual cycle
- 春季 (shunki) — spring season; used for spring academic or athletic terms
- 夏季 (kaki) — summer season; appears in summer competitions and courses
- 秋季 (shūki) — autumn season; found in tournament names and academic schedules
- 冬季 (tōki) — winter season; prominent in phrases like 冬季オリンピック (Winter Olympics)
Climate and Weather Terminology:
- 雨季 (uki) — rainy season; monsoon season, especially in tropical regions
- 乾季 (kanki) — dry season; the counterpart to the rainy season
- 季節風 (kisetsufū) — monsoon wind; a seasonal wind pattern that defines regional climates
- 季節外れ (kisetsu hazure) — out of season; unseasonable; describes weather or produce that does not match the expected time of year
Cultural, Literary, and Business Vocabulary:
- 季語 (kigo) — seasonal word in haiku; a required element that places the poem in a specific season
- 季刊 (kikan) — quarterly; published four times per year
Example Sentences
日本には美しい四季があります。
Nihon ni wa utsukushii shiki ga arimasu.
Japan has beautiful four seasons.
季節によって、食べられる野菜が変わります。
Kisetsu ni yotte, taberareru yasai ga kawarimasu.
The vegetables available change depending on the season.
この花は春季にしか咲きません。
Kono hana wa shunki ni shika sakimasen.
This flower only blooms in spring.
俳句を作るとき、季語を入れることが大切です。
Haiku wo tsukuru toki, kigo wo ireru koto ga taisetsu desu.
When writing haiku, including a seasonal word is essential.
冬季オリンピックは寒い国で開催されることが多い。
Tōki Orinpikku wa samui kuni de kaisai sareru koto ga ōi.
The Winter Olympics is often held in cold countries.
季節外れの大雪が降って、交通が乱れた。
Kisetsu hazure no ōyuki ga futte, kōtsū ga midareta.
Unseasonable heavy snow fell and disrupted traffic.
熱帯には雨季と乾季の二つの季節しかない。
Nettai ni wa uki to kanki no futatsu no kisetsu shika nai.
In the tropics, there are only two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season.
この雑誌は季刊で、3か月ごとに発行されます。
Kono zasshi wa kikan de, sankagetsu goto ni hakkō saremasu.
This magazine is quarterly, published every three months.
今年の秋季は例年より気温が高かった。
Kotoshi no shūki wa reinen yori kion ga takakatta.
Autumn this year was warmer than usual.
季節の変わり目は、体調を崩しやすいので注意してください。
Kisetsu no kawarime wa, taichō wo kuzushi yasui no de chūi shite kudasai.
Be careful at seasonal transitions — your health can easily take a hit.
Memory Tip
Start with the two components. The top half, 禾, depicts a grain stalk — a rice plant bending under the weight of ripe ears, a harvest image. The bottom half, 子, is a child. Picture a child running through a field of ripe grain. That image captures what a season is: a vivid, bounded stretch of time tied to nature's rhythms.
A simple mnemonic: "Each season (季) brings a new harvest (禾) for the children (子)." In Japan, the four seasons are not merely meteorological — they shape what people eat, wear, celebrate, and write poetry about. Once you see 季 as the core of all seasonal vocabulary, words like 季節 and 四季 click into place.