Meaning

Primary

Anniversary

Alternative

Memorial Day

Word Type

noun

Explanation

You should write down all your thoughts on this day, because it's not just any day — it's an anniversary!

Wondering how 記念日 differs from 周年? 周年 is usually for a numbered anniversary, like 十周年 (10th anniversary), whereas 記念日 refers to the specific date on which a memorable event took place in the past.

Reading

きねんび
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

The reading is a combination of on'yomi for the first two and kun'yomi for the last one. That being said, all of the readings for all of the kanji are the readings you've learned already, so you should be able to read this word too. Just watch out because is rendaku'd into .

Context

Common Word Combinations

  • 記念日の写真

    anniversary photo

    記念日のプレゼント

    anniversary present

    記念日のデート

    anniversary date

Context Sentences

記念日をわすれるなんて、最低よ!

Forgetting something like an anniversary is the worst!

今年のけっこん記念日には、夫から全自動せんたくきをもらいました。

My husband gave me a fully automatic washing machine for our wedding anniversary this year.

『サラダ記念日』という歌集のタイトルの由来は、俵万智さんの代表作「「この味がいいね」と君が言ったから七月六日はサラダ記念日」です。

The origin of the title "Salad Anniversary" for the collection of poems is Tawara Machi's most famous poem, "'This tastes great,' you said, and so the sixth of July is our salad anniversary."

Kanji Composition