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.

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

Kanji

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

Similar words

年ねん初しょ
年初 is a more formal or business-like term for the beginning of the year, often used in financial or administrative contexts, while 年頭 is broader and can be used in personal or ceremonial settings.
最さい年ねん長ちょう者しゃ
最年長者 is the standard, unambiguous term for 'the oldest person', whereas 年頭 read としがしら is a rare and somewhat archaic expression.

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.