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一月 (いちがつ, ichigatsu) Japanese meaning: January | Kotomora

一いち月がつ

い

ち

が

つ

○

Common word›JLPTN5›

Meanings

1

The first month of the Gregorian calendar. Used in dates, schedules, and everyday references.

一いち月がつは一いち年ねんで一いち番ばん寒さむい月つきです。

January is the coldest month of the year.

彼かれの誕たん生じょう日びは一いち月がつ十じゅう五ご日にちです。

His birthday is January 15th.

2

first month of the lunar calendar

Refers to the first month in the traditional Japanese lunar calendar, roughly corresponding to February in the modern calendar. Used in historical or cultural contexts.

旧きゅう暦れきの一いち月がつは、今いまの二に月がつごろにあたります。
The first month of the old lunar calendar corresponds to around February now.

Usage patterns

１いち月がつに〈動どう詞し〉to do something in January
１月がつに日本にほんへ旅りょ行こうに行いく予よ定ていです。
I'm planning to travel to Japan in January.
１いち月がつ上じょう旬じゅんearly January
新あたらしいプロジェクトは１月がつ上じょう旬じゅんに始はじまります。
The new project will start in early January.
１いち月がつ下げ旬じゅんlate January
試し験けんは１月がつ下げ旬じゅんに行おこなわれます。
The exam will be held in late January.

Kanji

月month, moon
一one, one radical (no.1)

Don't confuse with

一いっヶか月げつ
一ヶ月 means 'one month' (a duration), while 一月 read いちがつ means 'January' (a specific calendar month) — easy to mix up without the ヶ.
一ひと月つきN5
Written the same, but 一月 read ひとつき means 'a period of one month' while 一月 read いちがつ means 'January'; only the reading tells them apart.

Word family

１１じゅういち月がつN5
November · eleventh month of the lunar calendar

Written forms

一いち月がつ
Standard kanji spelling. Very frequent in newspapers and general text.
１いち月がつ
Common in dates, schedules, and formal writing. The numeral form is widely used.

Etymology

Compound of 一 (いち, 'one') and 月 (がつ, 'month'). The reading がつ is the standard suffix for month names in the modern calendar.