鏡餅（かがみもち、kagamimochi）
- New Year rice cake

The word 鏡餅 かがみもち refers to a traditional Japanese New Year decoration. It's typically composed of two round mochi (rice cakes) stacked on top of each other, with a mandarin orange (mikan) placed on the very top. The two mochi represent the year to come and also represent the two worlds: heaven and earth. 鏡餅 is meant to invite the gods to the home for the New Year, and is a symbol of prosperity, good health, and family happiness. The shape also symbolizes a mirror, hence the name.

⚫︎お正月に《鏡餅を飾ります。》 Translation: We decorate with kagami mochi for the New Year. ⚫︎新しい《鏡餅は大きくて、立派です。》 Translation: The new kagami mochi is big and impressive.

You use 鏡餅 when talking about the New Year decoration. You can use it in a sentence to describe the item itself or to discuss the tradition of displaying it during the New Year period.

鏡餅 is primarily written using kanji: 鏡餅. The reading is かがみもち, using hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard and does not have any variations.

There are no direct synonyms for 鏡餅 as it is a specific item. However, you could use related terms like: ⚫︎正月飾り (shōgatsu kazari) - New Year decorations (broader term). ⚫︎お飾り (okazari) - decorations (general term).

There are no direct antonyms for 鏡餅.

新年には、玄関に立派な《鏡餅を飾ります。》 ・Translation: For the New Year, we display a magnificent kagami mochi at the entrance. ・Explanation: This sentence explains where the kagami mochi is typically placed during the New Year.

祖母は毎年、手作りの《鏡餅を家族のために作ります。》 ・Translation: My grandmother makes homemade kagami mochi for the family every year. ・Explanation: This sentence highlights the family tradition and the act of making kagami mochi by hand.

The word 鏡餅 combines two words: ⚫︎鏡 (kagami), meaning "mirror". The round shape of the mochi resembles the shape of ancient bronze mirrors. ⚫︎餅 (mochi), meaning "rice cake". The name reflects the symbolic association of the item with the gods and good fortune.