A Beautiful Guide to Advanced Japanese
The kanji 月 (tsuki, meaning "moon") is a simple yet evocative character that stands alone as its own radical, Radical 74. Its shape is a stylized depiction of the crescent moon or the lunar form.
Visually, 月’s elegant, curved design captures the moon’s serene presence, reflecting its role as a symbol of beauty, time, and mystery in Japanese culture. Fun fact: Beyond meaning "moon," it also represents "month" due to the lunar calendar’s historical influence, and it appears as a radical in kanji related to the body or time, like 胸 (chest) and 期 (period).
Here are some common words and phrases using 月:
Meaning: Moon
Hiragana: つき
Example: 月が輝く。
(Tsuki ga kagayaku.)
"The moon shines."
Meaning: Moonlight
Hiragana: げっこう
Example: 月光が部屋を照らす。
(Gekkō ga heya o terasu.)
"Moonlight illuminates the room."
Meaning: Full moon
Hiragana: まんげつ
Example: 満月が綺麗だ。
(Mangetsu ga kirei da.)
"The full moon is beautiful."
Meaning: New moon
Hiragana: しんげつ
Example: 新月が見えない。
(Shingetsu ga mienai.)
"The new moon can’t be seen."
Meaning: Moonlit night
Hiragana: つきよ
Example: 月夜を楽しむ。
(Tsukiyo o tanoshimu.)
"I enjoy the moonlit night."
Meaning: Moon viewing
Hiragana: つきみ
Example: 月見の伝統がある。
(Tsukimi no dentō ga aru.)
"There’s a tradition of moon viewing."
Meaning: Crescent moon
Hiragana: みかづき
Example: 三日月が浮かぶ。
(Mikazuki ga ukabu.)
"A crescent moon rises."
Meaning: Monday
Hiragana: げつようび
Example: 月曜日は忙しい。
(Getsuyōbi wa isogashii.)
"Monday is busy."
Meaning: Lunar surface
Hiragana: げつめん
Example: 月面を探査する。
(Getsumen o tansaku suru.)
"We explore the lunar surface."
Meaning: Moon shadow / Moonlight
Hiragana: つきかげ
Example: 月影が水に映る。
(Tsukikage ga mizu ni utsuru.)
"The moon shadow reflects on the water."
The kanji 月 captures the luminous and timeless essence of the moon, shining as both a celestial wonder and a marker of time and tradition.