also: なつどき
summertime; summer season
Refers to the summer period; can be used as a noun or adverbially. The reading なつどき is the everyday form, while かじ is a rare literary variant.
In summertime the days are long and pleasant.
This shop sells shaved ice only during the summer.
Standard kanji spelling for the common reading なつどき.
Rare literary or old-fashioned reading; not used in everyday speech.
Kana spelling is sometimes used for clarity or emphasis.
Compound of 夏 (summer) and 時 (time/season). The reading なつどき follows standard kun'yomi compounding; かじ is an older on'yomi-based reading now rarely used.