Japanese meaning of 春夏秋冬

Reading:
しゅんかしゅうとう (shunka shuutou)

English Translation:

Spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the four seasons

Meaning & Cultural Context

Meaning:


Spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the four seasons.

Cultural Context:


Used in poetry, travel writing, and cultural commentary to evoke the Japanese sense of seasonality (shun and kisetsukan).

Grammar & Learning Points

Grammar Point

• Noun phrase for all four seasons; often with “を通じて.”

Trap for English Speakers

May be mistaken as a literal list of seasons only.

Example

Basic Example

日本には春夏秋冬の美しい風景がある。

Japan has beautiful scenery in all four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.


Applied Example

彼との思い出は、春夏秋冬を彩る一枚一枚の写真に刻まれている。

My memories with him are etched into photographs that color each of the four seasons.