節分

Japanese

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

Alternative spelling
節分 (kyūjitai)

Noun

節(せつ)分(ぶん) • (setsubun) 

1. A ceremony celebrating the beginning of spring.
2. The first day of spring in the traditional lunisolar calendar, 立春 (Risshun).
3. (archaic) Any of the days that mark the division between two seasons; the first day of spring, summer (立夏 (Rikka)), autumn (立秋 (Risshū)), or winter (立冬 (Rittō)).

See also

• 立春(りっしゅん) (risshun, “first day of spring”)
• 立夏(りっか) (rikka, “first day of summer”)
• 立秋(りっしゅう) (risshū, “first day of autumn”)
• 立冬(りっとう) (rittō, “first day of winter”)
• 節気(せっき) (sekki, “solar term”)