also: はつふゆ
early winter
Refers to the beginning of winter, typically around November in the modern calendar. Used both as a noun and adverbially.
The early winter wind feels cold.
tenth month of the lunar calendar
Obsolete term referring to the tenth month of the traditional lunar calendar, roughly corresponding to early winter.
初冬、山々は初雪を迎える。
In early winter, the mountains receive their first snow.
In the old lunar calendar, 初冬 referred to the tenth month.
Standard kanji form; the reading しょとう is the most common.
Alternate reading; less common but still encountered.
Compound of 初 (sho, 'first') and 冬 (tō, 'winter'). The reading はつふゆ uses the native Japanese reading for both characters.