初はつ鶏とり

noun

first cockcrow of the year

A traditional seasonal word (kigo) for the New Year, referring to the first crowing of a rooster heard at the start of the year. Often used in haiku and other poetic contexts.

• 初はつ鶏とりの声こえを聞きいて新しん年ねんの訪おとずれを感かんじた。

  Hearing the first cockcrow of the year, I felt the arrival of the new year.

• 俳はい句くでは初はつ鶏とりが新しん年ねんの季き語ごとして使つかわれる。

  In haiku, 'first cockcrow' is used as a seasonal word for the new year.