General term for a season in nature, sports, TV, etc. Often used in compounds like 四季 (four seasons) or 雨季 (rainy season).
Japan has four seasons.
Specifically a kigo (季語), a word or phrase that indicates the season in haiku poetry.
Rare standalone use; mainly appears in compounds like 一季 (one year) or 半季 (half a year).
The soccer season has started.
In haiku, it is basic to include one seasonal word.
「一季」 is an old expression meaning one year.
季 (season, year) and 期 (period, term) share the same reading き but differ in meaning, so learners may mix them up in compounds like 季節 vs 期間.
The kanji 季 is composed of 禾 (grain) and 子 (child), originally suggesting the cycle of grain growth, hence 'season'. The reading き is the on'yomi.
rainy season; wet season
quarterly publication
period of an apprentice's contract; indentured term · apprenticeship; indentureship · one-year period
last season; equivalent season last year
season; time of year
dry season
last child; youngest child
one season; a single season · one year; a single year
two seasons · Bon and year-end festivals
half-year; half-year period · half a season
degenerate age; corrupt world
season; climate
end of winter · twelfth month of the lunar calendar
end of summer · sixth month of the lunar calendar
late spring · third month of the lunar calendar
end of the season
end of autumn; late autumn · ninth month of the lunar calendar