What is the difference between "晦" and "晦日"?

"晦" means "the last day of the lunar month" (C2PLUS), whereas "晦日" represents "the last day of the lunar month (lit. 'moon hiding')" (C2PLUS).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "つごもり"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

つごもり

C2PLUS / CEFR

Kanji Option B

つごもり

C2PLUS / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "つごもり" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

晦 (Level: C2PLUS): Translates to "the last day of the lunar month" and is used when Essential structural term in CEFR C2PLUS vocabulary syllabus..
晦日 (Level: C2PLUS): Maps to "the last day of the lunar month (lit. 'moon hiding')" and carries the nuance of Essential structural term in CEFR C2PLUS vocabulary syllabus..

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "晦"

私は晦に興味があります。

I am interested in the last day of the lunar month.

Bilingual Context for "晦日"

私は晦日に興味があります。

I am interested in the last day of the lunar month (lit. 'moon hiding').

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "私は＿＿＿に興味があります。" (Meaning: "I am interested in the last day of the lunar month.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "晦" is used for "the last day of the lunar month" in the context: "I am interested in the last day of the lunar month.".