Japanese Kanji for Moon: 月 — Writing, Readings, Words
The Japanese kanji for moon is 月, 4 strokes, N5 level. It is read "tsuki" (kun'yomi つき) and "getsu/gatsu" (on'yomi ゲツ、ガツ). The same character also means "month": 一月 (ichigatsu) — January, 月曜日 (getsuyōbi) — Monday. "Moonlight" is 月光 (gekkō), moon viewing is 月見 (tsukimi).
月 is a crescent, not a circle: the Japanese character depicts the moon in its phase, because a full moon in writing would be indistinguishable from the sun 日. Hence the autumn festival 月見 — sitting and looking at the moon, officially doing nothing else.
How to Write the Japanese Kanji for Moon
月 — значение: moon, month — онъёми: ゲツ、ガツ — кунъёми: つき — 4 штрих(ов). N5 level, 4 strokes. Click "Show order" — strokes will appear as if written by hand.
Moon and Month — One Character
As in English, "moon" in the sky and "month" on the calendar are the same word. 月 in the meaning of calendar month is read ガツ in names (三月 sangatsu — March) and ゲツ in counting months (三か月 sankagetsu — three months). The moon in the sky is つき (tsuki).
Words with the Moon Kanji
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 月 | tsuki · tsuki | Moon |
| 月光 | gekkō · gekkō | Moonlight |
| 満月 | mangetsu · mangetsu | Full moon |
| 三日月 | mikazuki · mikazuki | Crescent moon (literally "moon of the third day") |
| 月見 | tsukimi · tsukimi | Moon viewing |
| 月曜日 | getsuyōbi · getsuyōbi | Monday ("day of the moon") |
| 一月 | ichigatsu · ichigatsu | January |
Caution: 月 inside a character is often not about the moon
In 服 (clothes), 朝 (morning), 期 (period), the element resembling 月 historically derives from "meat" (肉) or other characters. So seeing the moon in every 月 is a common beginner's trap: the meaning must be checked, not guessed.
Write 月 Yourself
Trace the character along the guides — the system will evaluate each stroke.
FAQ
- What Japanese kanji means moon?
- 月 — 4 strokes, N5 level. Kun'yomi つき (tsuki) — moon; on'yomi ゲツ/ガツ — in words about months: 月曜日 getsuyōbi, 一月 ichigatsu.
- How do you say "moon" in Japanese?
- 月 (tsuki). Full moon — 満月 (mangetsu), crescent — 三日月 (mikazuki), moonlight — 月光 (gekkō).
- What is tsukimi?
- 月見 — the tradition of viewing the full moon in mid-autumn: treats, round rice dumplings, and mindful contemplation. The autumn counterpart to spring hanami with cherry blossoms.
- How are months written with this character?
- Number + 月 with reading ガツ: 一月 (January), 七月 (July). And "how many months" — via ゲツ: 三か月 (sankagetsu) "three months".
Updated: 2026-07-25