noun
15th day of the 7th lunar month; last day of Bon lantern festival
Refers to the traditional date in the lunar calendar, now associated with the end of the Obon festival period. Often used in historical or cultural contexts.
旧暦の7月15日は中元と呼ばれ、盆の最終日とされています。
The 15th day of the 7th lunar month is called Chūgen, and it is considered the last day of the Bon festival.
noun
mid-year gift; summer gift; Bon Festival gift
Commonly used in the phrase お中元 to refer to gifts given in mid-summer, typically in July, to express gratitude. The standalone form 中元 is less frequent in modern everyday speech.
See also: お中元
今年のお中元には、地元の特産品を贈ろうと思います。
For this year's summer gift, I'm thinking of sending local specialties.
デパートの中元ギフトコーナーは毎年賑わいます。
The mid-year gift section in department stores is busy every year.