月: the kanji for moon and month
月 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means moon, month. Below are its readings, 17 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
月 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
月 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 15 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ゲツ (getsu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 月曜日げつようび · getsuyōbi | Monday |
| 今月こんげつ · kongetsu | this month |
| 来月らいげつ · raigetsu | next month |
| 先月せんげつ · sengetsu | last month |
| 月末げつまつ · getsumatsu | the end of the month |
| 月給げっきゅう · gekkyū | monthly salary |
| 一か月いっかげつ · ikkagetsu | one month |
| 歳月さいげつ · saigetsu | years; time |
ガツ (gatsu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 正月しょうがつ · shōgatsu | the New Year (holidays) |
| 四月しがつ · shigatsu | April |
| 何月なんがつ · nangatsu | what month |
つき (tsuki)
Kun reading. It becomes zuki at the end of some words.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 月つき · tsuki | moon; month |
| 毎月まいつき · maitsuki | every month |
| 月見つきみ · tsukimi | moon viewing |
| 三日月みかづき · mikazuki | crescent moon |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 月, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 五月さつき · satsuki | Satsuki (the old name for the fifth month) |
| 五月雨さみだれ · samidare | early summer rain |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 月末までに提出してください。Getsumatsu made ni teishutsu shite kudasai.Please submit it by the end of the month.
- 来月から新しいプロジェクトが始まります。Raigetsu kara atarashii purojekuto ga hajimarimasu.A new project starts next month.
- 毎月一回、会議があります。Maitsuki ikkai, kaigi ga arimasu.There's a meeting once a month.
- お正月は家族と過ごします。Oshōgatsu wa kazoku to sugoshimasu.I spend the New Year holidays with my family.
- 月曜日の朝は忙しいです。Getsuyōbi no asa wa isogashii desu.Monday mornings are busy.
- 今夜は月がきれいです。Kon'ya wa tsuki ga kirei desu.The moon is beautiful tonight.
Questions about 月
How many strokes does 月 have?
月 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 月?
The on readings are getsu (ゲツ), gatsu (ガツ). The kun readings are tsuki (つき).
Is 月 read getsu or gatsu?
Gatsu is used for the names of the months, as in 四月 (shigatsu, April). Getsu is used for periods of time, as in 来月 (raigetsu, next month), and in 月曜日 (getsuyōbi, Monday).
What JLPT level is 月?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Days and time
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 月
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.