Translation guide
The first month of the traditional lunar calendar, roughly corresponding to late January through February in the Gregorian calendar. In modern Japanese, this is primarily a cultural and historical term, often associated with New Year celebrations.
first lunar month (traditional name)
Literary/traditional term; in modern contexts, clarify with 旧暦の.
first lunar month (general term)
Specify 旧暦 to avoid confusion with the New Year holiday.
Referring to the first month of the traditional lunar calendar, especially in historical, cultural, or astrological contexts.
The most common word for the first lunar month, but in modern usage it almost always refers to the New Year's holiday period (first few days of January) rather than the entire lunar month. Use with caution when referring strictly to the lunar calendar.
In everyday conversation, 正月 almost always means the New Year holiday (January 1st–3rd or 1st–7th), not the lunar month. Specify 旧暦の正月 if you need to refer to the lunar month.
The first lunar month falls between late January and February in the modern calendar.
The traditional Japanese name for the first lunar month. Still used in poetic, literary, or traditional contexts, such as in haiku or when discussing the old calendar.
Mutsuki refers to the first month of the lunar calendar.
Literally 'first month'. In modern Japanese, this means January (Gregorian). Only in historical or lunar calendar contexts does it mean the first lunar month. Usually requires clarification.
Without context, 一月 is always understood as January. Use 旧暦の一月 to specify the lunar month.
The first lunar month is around February in the solar calendar.
In modern Japanese, 一月 (いちがつ) always means January of the Gregorian calendar. To refer to the first lunar month, you must explicitly say 旧暦の一月 or use the traditional name 睦月.
The lunar calendar is rarely used in daily life, but it appears in traditional events, fortune-telling, and historical documents. The first lunar month is strongly associated with the New Year (正月) in cultural memory.