also: おとうづき · おととづき
12th lunar month
Rare, archaic term for the 12th month of the lunar calendar, corresponding roughly to January in the Gregorian calendar. Cross-referenced with 師走 (しわす), the more common name for the same month.
See also: 師走
In old calendars, 弟月 refers to the last month of the year.
弟月 represents the same month as 師走, but it is rarely used.
Rare kanji spelling for the 12th lunar month; the reading おとづき is the most common among the three readings.
Alternate reading; included for search coverage but not the primary form.
Alternate reading; included for search coverage but not the primary form.
The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 弟 (younger brother) and 月 (month) may reflect an old naming convention for the last month of the year, but this is not well-documented.