How to Write “This Year“ in Japanese384

Mastering the Japanese language requires understanding its unique writing system, which combines three distinct scripts: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. If you're looking to convey the concept of "this year" in Japanese, there are specific characters you need to learn.

Writing "This Year" in Hiragana

Hiragana is a phonetic script primarily used for native Japanese words. To write "this year" in hiragana, you'll need to combine the following characters:* こ (ko)
* と (to)
* し (shi)

Putting them together, you get ことし (kotoshi), which means "this year."

Writing "This Year" in Katakana

Katakana is another phonetic script used primarily for foreign words, loanwords, and onomatopoeia. To write "this year" in katakana, you'll use the following characters:* コ (ko)
* ト (to)
* シ (shi)

Again, combining them gives you コとし (Kotoshi), which also translates to "this year."

Writing "This Year" in Kanji

Kanji are Chinese characters adopted into the Japanese writing system. They can represent both words and ideas. There are two main ways to write "this year" in kanji:* 今年 (ことし, kotoshi): This compound kanji directly translates to "this year." It's the most common way to express "this year" in formal and written Japanese.
* 本年 (ほんねん, honnen): This compound kanji also means "this year." However, it's often used in a more formal or literary context.

Example Sentences

To better understand the usage of "this year" in Japanese, here are some example sentences:* ことしは良い年になりそうだ。 (Kotoshi wa ii nen ni narisou da.) - This year seems like it will be a good year.
* ことしは引っ越す予定です。 (Kotoshi wa hikkosu yotei desu.) - This year, I plan to move.
* 今年で会社に入って5年目です。 (Kotoshi de kaisha ni haitte 5 nenme desu.) - This year marks my fifth year with the company.
* 本年、皆様方のご健康とご多幸をお祈り申し上げます。 (Honnen, minasama no gokenko to gotaiko wo onegai itashimasu.) - This year, I pray for your health and happiness.

Variations

In addition to the standard ways of writing "this year," there are a few variations you may encounter:* 今年度 (ことしど, kotoshido): This term specifically refers to the current fiscal year, which runs from April 1st to March 31st.
* 今年中 (ことしじゅう, kotoshiju): This phrase means "within this year" or "by the end of this year."
* 今年あたり (ことしあたり, kotoshi atari): This phrase indicates a general time frame within this year, usually sometime in the near future.

Conclusion

Writing "this year" in Japanese is straightforward once you understand the different scripts involved. Whether you choose hiragana, katakana, or kanji, the characters you need to know are consistent. By practicing writing and using the example sentences provided, you'll soon master the art of expressing "this year" in Japanese.

2024-12-20

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