五月

Chinese
five moon; month
simp. and trad.
(五月)		 五 月

Pronunciation

Noun

五月

  1. May
  2. modern name for the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar

Synonyms
  • (lunar month): 榴月 (Liúyuè), 蒲月, 仲夏 (zhòngxià), 飄香／飘香, 皋月, 鬱月／郁月, 午 (wǔ)

Japanese

Etymology 1
Kanji in this term
五 月
ご
Grade: 1		 がつ
Grade: 1
on’yomi

Compound of Middle Chinese-derived elements 五 (go, “five, fifth”) +‎ 月 (gatsu, “month”).

Pronunciation

Noun

五月 (hiragana ごがつ, rōmaji gogatsu, historical hiragana ごぐわつ)

  1. the month of May
Usage notes

The term gogatsu is the most common term for the month of May in modern Japanese. The synonyms satsuki and sanaezuki are archaic and may be used in historical or poetic contexts.

Synonyms
  • 五月 (satsuki) (see below)
  • 早苗月 (sanaezuki)

Etymology 2
五月 (satsuki): the Japanese azalea, Rhododendron indicum
Kanji in this term
五 月
さ
Grade: 1		 つき
Grade: 1
Irregular

Explained in some sources[4] as a possible contraction of 早苗月 (sanaezuki, another old name for the month of May). However, the initial sa- element appears in many ancient terms relating to the rice plant,[5] making it more likely that the sa- in satsuki is not a contraction. Some sources[5] thus list satsuki instead as a compound of さ (sa, ancient word relating to rice, here referring to the planting season) +‎ 月 (tsuki, “moon; month”).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation
  • (Irregular reading)

Noun

五月 (hiragana さつき, katakana サツキ, rōmaji satsuki)

  1. (archaic) the fifth month of the lunar calendar
  2. (poetic) May
  3. (botany) Rhododendron indicum, a kind of azalea native to Japan (so named because it usually blooms in May)
Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts, as サツキ. When spelled in kanji, the azalea sense may be more often spelled as 皐月.

The term gogatsu is the most common term for the month of May in modern Japanese. The synonyms satsuki and sanaezuki are archaic and may be used in historical or poetic contexts.

Synonyms

(May):

  • 五月 (gogatsu) (see above)

(fifth lunar month):

  • 早苗月 (sanaezuki)

References
  1. 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, ISBN 978-4-14-011112-3
  2. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
  3. 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13143-0
  4. 1984, 日本大百科全書：ニッポニカ (Nippon Dai Hyakka Zensho: Nipponica, “Encyclopedia Nipponica”) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, relevant text online here.
  5. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan

Korean
Hanja in this term
五月

Noun

五月 • (owol) (hangeul 오월)

  1. Hanja form? of 오월 (“the fifth month”).
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