JLPT N1

元年

がんねん

first year (of a specific reign)

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

元

Radical: —

年

Radical: —

Meaning and Usage

"元年" (がんねん) specifically refers to the first year of a Japanese era, which is tied to the reign of an emperor. It is commonly used in historical and official contexts to mark the beginning of an era, such as "令和元年" (Reiwa 1st year).

Common Contexts

You will often see "元年" used in dates when referring to historical events or official documents. For example, "昭和元年" means the first year of the Showa era (1926). It is a formal term and mostly appears in written language.

Collocations and Patterns

  • "令和元年" (Reiwa gannen): the first year of the Reiwa era
  • "元年に始まる" (gannen ni hajimaru): to start in the first year
  • "元年から数える" (gannen kara kazoeru): to count from the first year

Notes for Learners

Be careful not to confuse "元年" with just "年" (year) or "初年" (first year in a more general sense). "元年" is specifically tied to era names and imperial reigns. It is a formal term rarely used in casual conversation but important for understanding historical dates and official documents.

Example Sentences

れいわがんねんにあたらしいげんごうがはじまりました。

The new era name started in the first year of Reiwa.

しょうわがんねんは1926ねんです。

The first year of the Showa era is 1926.

がんねんということばは、てんのうのそくいねんをあらわすときにつかいます。

The word 'gannen' is used to indicate the year of an emperor's accession.