年ねん頭とう

also: としがしら

ね

ん

と

う

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

beginning of the year; New Year

Refers to the start of a new year, often used in formal or written contexts such as New Year's greetings, resolutions, or reflections.

年ねん頭とうにあたり、今年ことしの目もく標ひょうを立

た

て

た

。

At the beginning of the year, I set my goals for this year.

社しゃ長ちょうは年ねん頭とうの挨あい拶さつで新あらたな方ほう針しんを示しめした。

The president outlined the new policy in his New Year's address.

2

noun

oldest person; eldest

Only with reading としがしら

Rare reading としがしら for the kanji 年頭, meaning the oldest person in a group. More commonly expressed as 最年長者 or 年長者.

この村むらでは、年とし頭がしらの者ものが祭まつりの進しん行こう役やくを務つとめる。
In this village, the oldest person serves as the master of ceremonies for the festival.

Usage patterns

年ねん頭とうに〈動どう詞し〉to do something at the beginning of the year
年ねん頭とうに今こん年ねんの目もく標ひょうを決きめた。
At the start of the year, I decided on my goals for this year.
年ねん頭とうの挨あい拶さつNew Year's greeting (formal address)
社しゃ長ちょうが年ねん頭とうの挨あい拶さつを述のべた。
The president gave a formal New Year's address.
年ねん頭とうにあたりon the occasion of the new year (formal expression)
年ねん頭とうにあたり、社しゃ員いん一いち同どうにご挨あい拶さつ申もうし上あげます。
On the occasion of the new year, I offer my greetings to all employees.

Kanji

年year, counter for years
頭head, counter for large animals

Related words

年ねん初しょ sense 1
年初 is the formal, often business or financial term for the start of the year, while 年頭 is broader and used in ceremonial or personal contexts too.
最さい年ねん長ちょう者しゃ sense 2
最年長者 is the standard, clear term for 'the oldest person', while 年頭 read としがしら is a rare, archaic way to express the same idea.
正しょう月がつN4sense 1
正月 refers to the New Year holiday period with its customs and festivities, whereas 年頭 is the more abstract, formal notion of the year's start.
元がん日じつN3sense 1
元日 specifically means New Year's Day (January 1st), while 年頭 more broadly refers to the beginning period of the year.

Opposites

年ねん末まつN1sense 1
年末 means the end of the year, the direct opposite of 年頭, which means the beginning of the year.

Don't confuse with

念ねん頭とうN1sense 1
念頭 (also read ねんとう) means 'in one's mind/thoughts', a completely different meaning from 年頭, which refers to the start of the year.

Written forms

年頭Usage100%
- ねんとう
  Standard kanji form for the reading ねんとう, meaning 'beginning of the year'.
- としがしら
  Rare reading for the sense 'oldest person'; the kanji 年頭 is normally read ねんとう.
としがしら

Etymology

年 (year) + 頭 (head, beginning). The reading ねんとう is the standard on'yomi compound. The rare reading としがしら uses the kun'yomi とし for 年 and かしら (voiced to がしら) for 頭, literally 'year-head', meaning the head or eldest of the year/group.