お年玉（おとしだま、otoshidama）
- New Year's money

お年玉 is a Japanese custom of giving a monetary gift to children during the New Year. It's usually given by adults to younger relatives and sometimes to children of close friends. This gift is a way to wish good fortune and express goodwill for the coming year. The amount of money varies depending on the relationship, the age of the recipient, and the giver's financial situation. The money is traditionally given in special decorated envelopes called ポチ袋 (pochibukuro). The practice is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and is an important part of New Year's celebrations. The gifts themselves are often referred to as お年玉.

⚫︎ お正月にお年玉をもらいました。 Translation: I received otoshidama for New Year's. ⚫︎ 子供たちにお年玉をあげました。 Translation: I gave otoshidama to the children. ⚫︎ お年玉はいくらあげるべきですか？ Translation: How much otoshidama should I give?

⚫︎ Use お年玉 in conversations about New Year's and related customs. ⚫︎ It's common to talk about how much money was given or received, or the act of giving it. ⚫︎ Avoid using it outside of the context of the New Year period.

⚫︎ お年玉 is typically written in hiragana as おとしだま. ⚫︎ The kanji form is お年玉, but hiragana is far more common. ⚫︎ There are no variations in the okurigana.

⚫︎ There aren't direct synonyms, as it's a specific custom. However, the act of giving money as a gift can be considered a type of "gift giving"

⚫︎ There are no direct antonyms for otoshidama. You could consider "not giving" as the opposite action, but there isn't a specific word.

おじいちゃんからたくさんのお年玉をもらいました。 ・Translation: I received a lot of otoshidama from my grandfather. ・Explanation: This sentence describes receiving a generous amount of money from one's grandfather during the New Year.

子供たちは、お年玉を楽しみにしています。 ・Translation: Children are looking forward to otoshidama. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the anticipation children have for receiving otoshidama.

The etymology of お年玉 is related to the Shinto custom of giving mochi (rice cakes) to the gods and sharing them with family members. This mochi was considered to have the soul of the new year god, and the act of giving it was believed to bring good fortune. Over time, the mochi evolved into a monetary gift, but the concept of sharing good fortune and wishing for a prosperous year remains. The word literally translates to "New Year's treasure" or "New Year's gift."