faint moon; hazy moon
Literary or poetic term for a moon that appears dim, pale, or veiled, often by mist or thin clouds.
A faint moon showed itself dimly through a break in the clouds.
On an autumn night, I listen to the insects' chirping under the hazy moon.
明月 means a bright, clear moon, the opposite of 淡月's faintness.
Standard kanji form; 淡 suggests 'faint' or 'pale'.
Variant kanji form using 澹, which also means 'faint' or 'quiet'; less common.
Compound of 淡 (faint, pale) and 月 (moon). The variant 澹月 uses a kanji with a similar meaning. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is used in classical and literary contexts.