Easily Confused Words : 正月しょうがつ vs. 元旦がんたん vs. 新年しんねん

Where are you going to go or do the new year season? However, did you know native speakers use 正月しょうがつ, 元旦がんたん and 新年しんねん? And what’s the difference between 正月しょうがつ, 元旦がんたん and 新年しんねん? After figuring them out, why don’t you talk to native speakers about a new year? Let me introduce how you correctly use them today.

正月しょうがつ

The New Year season / January 1st to 7th

正月しょうがつ is “The New Year season” or “January 1st to 7th” in Japan, however, “January 1st to 7th” sometimes depends on people or locality, so someone might use 正月しょうがつ which is January 1st to 3rd. For instance, a person whose job will start from January 4th or 6th every year who think 正月しょうがつ is January 1st to 3rd or 5th. However, in general 正月しょうがつ is January 1st to 7th.

Example

正月しょうがつどこいくの？ (Where are you gonna go the new year season?) (新年打算去哪儿？) (설에 어디 가?) (Tết cậu có đi đâu không?)

正月しょうがつはどこか旅行りょこうに行いきたいなー。 (I feel like going on a trip somewhere on January 1st to 7th.) (新年真想去哪儿旅行呢！) (설날에는 어딘가 놀러가고 싶다~) (Thật muốn đi du lịch đâu đó vào ngày nghỉ Tết quá.)

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正月しょうがつも、もう終おわりかー。 (The new year season is almost over.) (新年已、已经快要结束了吗？) (설날도 이제 끝인가 -.) (Đã … đã hết Tết rồi á!?)

元旦がんたん

January 1st / New year’s day

元旦がんたん is “January 1st “or “New year’s day” which is just one day. January 2nd is not 元旦がんたん but it is still 正月しょうがつ though. And 元旦がんたん is a special day for us.

Example

たつや
もうすぐ元旦がんたんだね。 (It’s almost January 1st!) (马上就要到新年了。) (곧 설날이네.) (Sắp đến ngày mùng một rồi ha.)

ゆか
毎年まいとし元旦がんたんはおじいちゃんの家いえに行いくよ。 (I go to my grandpa’s house every new year’s day.) (每年元旦都会去爷爷的家。) (매년 설날에는 할아버지 집에 가.) (Hằng năm vào ngày mùng một Tết tớ sẽ đến nhà ông chơi đấy.)

たつや
元旦がんたんはテレビでも見みて、ゆっくりしたいな。 (I wanna watch TV and be relaxed on new year’s day.) (元旦我想看看电视，悠闲的度过。) (설날에는 TV라도 보면서, 좀 쉬고 싶어.) (Vào ngày mùng một, tớ muốn có thể thư thái xem TV.)

新年しんねん

A new year

新年しんねん is “a new year” and it is quite similar to 正月しょうがつ, however, a nuance of 新年しんねん is quite stiff than 正月しょうがつ.

Example

ゆか
新年しんねんの豊富ほうふは？ (What’s your New Year’s resolution?) (新年新愿望是？) (새해의 포부는?) (Điều cần làm trong năm mới là gì?)

たつや
お世話せわになった人ひとに、新年しんねんの挨拶あいさつにいかないと。 (I gotta say new year’s greetings to people who took care of me.) (我应该向那些照顾我的人致以新年的问候。) (신세를 진 사람에게, 새해 인사를 가야겠어.) (Năm mới phải đi chúc Tết những người đã giúp đỡ mình mới được.)

ゆか
新年しんねん早々そうそう何なにやってんの！ (What are you doing at the beginning of the New Year?) (新的一年才刚开始你在做什么！) (새해 벽두부터 뭐 하고 있는거야!) (Mới đầu năm mà cậu đang làm gì vậy hả!)