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初日 (しょにち, shonichi) Japanese meaning: first day | Kotomora

初しょ日にち

also: しょじつ

しょ

に

ち

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

first day; opening day

Refers to the first day of an event, performance, exhibition, or similar occasion. Often used for sumo tournaments, theater runs, and movie releases.

大おお相撲ずもう初しょ日にちは満まん員いん

御おん

礼れい

だっ

た

。

The first day of the grand sumo tournament was a full house.

映えい画がの初しょ日にち舞ぶ台たい挨あい拶さつに行いった。

I went to the opening-day stage greeting for the movie.

Usage patterns

初しょ日にちを迎むかえるto reach opening day (of an event or performance)
新あたらしい舞ぶ台たいがいよいよ初しょ日にちを迎むかえた。
The new stage production has finally reached its opening day.
初しょ日にちを飾かざるto open strongly on the first day
この映えい画がは初しょ日にちを飾かざる好こう成せい績せきを上あげた。
This movie posted great results on its opening day.
初しょ日にちに〈場ば所しょ〉へ行いくto go to 〈場所〉 on the opening day
初しょ日にちに映えい画が館かんへ行いって新しん作さくを見みた。
I went to the theater on opening day to see the new release.

Expressions

初しょ日にちが出でるget one's first win after a losing streak
初しょ日にちを出だすget one's first win after a losing streak

Kanji

初first time, beginning
日day, sun, Japan

Related words

初しょ回かい
初回 refers to the first time or first episode in a general sense, while 初日 specifically means the first day of a multi-day event such as a sumo tournament or theater run.
開かい幕まくN1
開幕 emphasizes the ceremonial opening or start of an event or season, while 初日 names the specific calendar day on which that event begins.

Opposites

最さい終しゅう日び
最終日 is the last day of an event, the direct opposite of 初日, the event's first day.
千せん秋しゅう楽らく
千秋楽 is the traditional term for the closing day of a sumo tournament or theater run, standing opposite to 初日, its opening day.
末まつ日じつN1
初日 is the first day (of a month or event), the direct opposite of 末日, the final day of the month.

Don't confuse with

初しょ演えん
初演 means a work's very first-ever performance (its premiere), while 初日 refers to the first day of any given run, even a revival or repeat production.
初しょ年ねん度ど
初日 means the first day of an event, while 初年度 means the first year of a period, so the two differ in time scale despite both using 初.
初しょ回かい
初回 refers to the first round or episode of a repeated event, whereas 初日 refers to the first day of an event or run, so they aren't interchangeable for multi-day shows.

Written forms

初日Usage100%
- しょにち
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading しょにち is the most common.
- しょじつ
  Rare reading; mostly found in older or formal contexts.
しょじつ

Etymology

Compound of 初 (first) and 日 (day). The reading しょにち is the standard Sino-Japanese reading; しょじつ is an alternative, less common reading.