冬とう至じ

と

う

じ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

winter solstice

The calendrical day around December 21 or 22 when the daytime is shortest in the Northern Hemisphere. In Japan it is associated with customs such as eating pumpkin or taking a yuzu bath.

Usage patterns

冬とう至じにかぼちゃを食たべるto eat pumpkin on the winter solstice
日本にほんでは冬とう至じにかぼちゃを食たべる習しゅう慣かんがある。
In Japan there is a custom of eating pumpkin on the winter solstice.
冬とう至じに柚ゆ子ず湯ゆに入はいるto take a yuzu bath on the winter solstice
冬とう至じには柚ゆ子ず湯ゆに入はいって体からだを温あたためる。
On the winter solstice, people warm up by taking a yuzu bath.

Kanji

冬winter
至climax, arrive, proceed

Opposites

夏げ至しN1
冬至 is the winter solstice with the shortest day of the year, while 夏至 is the summer solstice with the longest day.

Don't confuse with

春しゅん分ぶんN1
冬至 marks the solstice with the shortest daylight, whereas 春分 marks the spring equinox when day and night are roughly equal, so learners often mix up these calendrical terms.

Word family

冬とう至じ点てん
winter solstitial point
冬とう至じ粥がゆ
winter solstice adzuki bean rice gruel
冬とう至じ線せん
the Tropic of Capricorn
冬とう至じ南瓜かぼちゃ
custom of keeping a pumpkin or squash during winter and eating it on the winter solstice

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound written with 冬, meaning winter, and 至, meaning to arrive at or reach a point; the spelling conventionally represents the point in the calendar associated with the winter solstice.