一ヶ月

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 一ヶ月に三回旅行する。▶ —
   I travel three times a month.
2. 一ヶ月の家賃を払う。▶ —
   I pay one month's rent.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Ikkagetsu (一ヶ月) means "one month" — 一 (one) + ヶ (ka) + 月 (getsu). The ヶ is a shorthand for classical 箇 / 個 (ka, counter), uniquely Japanese — it looks like the katakana ケ but is a different glyph, small in size and functional only as a counter. Combinations: kagetsu (months), kasho (places), kakoku (countries). Korean uses 個 (gae) and Chinese uses 个; only Japan kept the ヶ abbreviation. 月給 (gekkyuu, monthly salary) is the Japanese pay norm, supplemented by twice-yearly shouyo bonuses in summer and winter — distinctive in East Asia (Korea / China issue one or none; the US issues none). Yachin (rent) in Tokyo: about 70,000–100,000 yen for a 25 m² single, 150,000–250,000 yen for a 50 m² family apartment. Move-in costs include shikikin and reikin (deposit and "thank-you money") — typically one to three months of yachin to the landlord, a Japan-specific custom. Differs from Korean jeonse / wolse splits. JLPT N5 anchors ikkagetsu; N3 unlocks yachin / gekkyuu / shikikin housing vocabulary.

Quick check

1. Special feature of the ヶ kana form?

   • Abbreviation of classical 箇 / 個 (ka) — looks like katakana ケ but is a different glyph
   • Same as katakana ケ
   • Hiragana variant
   • Foreign-word notation