Easily Confused Words : 正月 vs. 元旦 vs. 新年
Where are you going to go or do the new year season? However, did you know native speakers use 正月, 元旦 and 新年? And what’s the difference between 正月, 元旦 and 新年? 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 (shougatsu)
The New Year season / January 1st to 7th
正月 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 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 is January 1st to 3rd or 5th. However, in general 正月 is January 1st to 7th.


Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced


元旦 (gantan)
January 1st / New year’s day
元旦 is “January 1st “or “New year’s day” which is just one day. January 2nd is not 元旦 but it is still 正月 though. And 元旦 is a special day for us.



新年 (shinnen)
A new year
新年 is “a new year” and it is quite similar to 正月, however, a nuance of 新年 is quite stiff than 正月.



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