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お中元 (ochuugen) Japanese meaning: mid-year gift | Kotomora
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ちゅう
元げん
を
贈おく
っ
て
い
ます
。
Every year I send a mid-year gift to my boss, who has been very helpful.
At the department store's summer gift section, I chose a set of nori and beer.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 にお 中ちゅう 元げん を 贈おく る to send someone a mid-year gift
Every year I send my boss a mid-year gift.
お 中ちゅう 元げん をいただく to receive a mid-year gift (polite)
I received a mid-year gift from a business contact.
お 中ちゅう 元げん の 季き 節せつ the mid-year gift-giving season
Department stores get crowded when the mid-year gift season arrives.
Kanji 元 beginning, former time, origin Related words お中元 is the gift given in mid-July, while お歳暮 is the parallel gift given in December to mark the year's end.
贈り物 is the general word for any gift, whereas お中元 refers specifically to the customary mid-summer gift of gratitude.
Etymology From 中元 (ちゅうげん), referring to the 15th day of the 7th month in the lunar calendar, a Taoist/Buddhist observance. The honorific prefix お was added to form the polite noun for the associated gift-giving custom.
