節分

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
節	分
せつ Grade: 4	ぶん Grade: 2
kan’on	goon

Alternative spelling
節分 (kyūjitai)

Compound of Middle Chinese-derived elements 節 (setsu, “season”) +‎ 分 (bun, “division, separation”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) せつぶん [sètsúbúń] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [se̞t͡sɨᵝbɯ̟̃ᵝɴ]

Noun

節(せつ)分(ぶん) • (setsubun) 

1. (archaic) any of the four named days that mark the division between two seasons:
   1. 立春 (Risshun), the first day of spring in the traditional lunisolar calendar,
   2. 立夏 (Rikka), the first day of summer,
   3. 立秋 (Risshū), the first day of autumn, or
   4. 立冬 (Rittō), the first day of winter
2. (by extension) a celebration on the day before Risshun or the beginning of spring, notable for the hanging of sardine heads with holly leaves and scattering of roasted soybeans at the entrance of houses

Proper noun

節(せつ)分(ぶん) • (Setsubun) 

1. a kyogen play set on the night of Setsubun where a female house-sitter tricks a demon using magical items, culminating in her throwing roasted soybeans to drive it away

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
節	分
せち Grade: 4	ぶん Grade: 2
goon

Alternative spelling
節分 (kyūjitai)

Compound of Middle Chinese-derived elements 節 (sechi, “season”) +‎ 分 (bun, “division, separation”). Uses the 呉音 (goon, literally “Wu sound”) reading of sechi instead of the usual setsu for the first kanji, and is likely the older reading.

Noun

節(せち)分(ぶん) • (sechibun) 

1. (archaic) any of the four named first days of the lunisolar calendar that mark the division between two seasons
2. (archaic, especially) the day before Risshun or the beginning of spring

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
節	分
せち Grade: 4	ぶ Grade: 2
goon	kan’yōon

Alternative spelling
節分 (kyūjitai)

Shift from sechibun above, dropping the final -n.

Noun

節(せち)分(ぶ) • (sechibu) 

1. (archaic, obsolete) any of the four named first days of the lunisolar calendar that mark the division between two seasons

See also

• 節(せっ)気(き) (sekki)