冬

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 北海道の冬はとても寒いです。▶ —
   Hokkaido's winter is very cold.
2. 冬休みに温泉に行きました。▶ —
   I went to a hot spring during winter break.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Fuyu (冬) is Japanese winter — wide north-south gap. Hokkaido and Tohoku get heavy snow and –20 °C; Tokyo and Osaka rarely go subzero but feel dry-cold. Winter culture cluster: onsen (hot springs), kotatsu (heated low table), nabe (hotpot), toshikoshi (year-crossing, Dec 31), joya no kane (the New Year's Eve temple bells). School winter break (Dec 24–Jan 7) is short — family time peaks at omisoka (Dec 31) and shougatsu (Jan 1–3). The Korean "winter / dongji / ondol" matrix gains the kotatsu / onsen / toshikoshi layer in Japanese.

Quick check

1. Japanese heated low-table furniture?

   • Kotatsu
   • Tatami — floor mat
   • Futon — bedding
   • Yutanpo — hot-water bottle