Meaning and Usage
The suffix ～刊 (～かん) is used to indicate the issue number or edition of periodicals such as magazines, newspapers, or journals. It often follows a number to specify which issue is being referred to, for example, 第3刊 (the third issue).
Common Contexts
You will frequently see ～刊 in contexts related to publishing schedules, such as 日刊 (daily edition), 週刊 (weekly edition), and 月刊 (monthly edition). It helps specify how often a publication is released.
Collocations and Patterns
- 月刊 (げっかん): monthly publication, used to describe magazines or journals issued once a month.
- 週刊 (しゅうかん): weekly publication, for periodicals issued once a week.
- 日刊 (にっかん): daily publication, for newspapers or similar issued every day.
- 第X刊 (だいXかん): the Xth issue, used to specify a particular edition.
Register and Nuance
～刊 is a formal and technical term mostly used in written language, especially in publishing and media contexts. It is not used for casual conversation but is essential for discussing publication schedules and editions.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse ～刊 with ～巻 (～かん), which refers to volumes of books or series rather than issues of periodicals. Remember that ～刊 is for periodicals, while ～巻 is for book volumes.