五月

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 五月はゴールデンウィークだ。▶ —
   May has Golden Week.
2. 五月五日は子供の日。▶ —
   May 5 is Childrens Day.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Gogatsu (五月) is May — anchored by Japans cultural cornerstones Golden Week and tango no sekku (Boys Day). Cluster: (1) gooruden-uiiku / GW (the chain April 29 Showa-no-hi, May 3 Constitution Day, May 4 Greenery Day, May 5 Childrens Day forms four straight holidays plus weekends, up to a 10-day stretch — Japans unique mass-travel season, peak shinkansen and airport congestion, an overseas-trip high season); (2) tango no sekku / kodomo no hi (May 5, boys-health prayer with armor-and-helmet gogatsu-ningyou displays and koinobori carp streamers in the garden — a Chinese carp-becomes-dragon legend motif — eating kashiwa-mochi rice cakes and chimaki dumplings); (3) gogatsu byou (May sickness, a uniquely Japanese cultural syndrome of fatigue and depression hitting new April hires and freshmen after GW). Kanji 五 with on-reading go plus 月 "-gatsu." JLPT N5 plus Mays Japanese holiday and boys-festival cluster.

Quick check

1. Definition of gogatsu byou?

   • Apathy and depression hitting Aprils new hires and freshmen after GW — Japan-specific cultural syndrome
   • Pollen allergy
   • Summer heat illness
   • Official medical diagnosis