閏年（うるうどし、uruうdoshi）
- leap year

The Japanese word 閏年 うるうどし refers to a leap year. This is a year that has an extra day added to it, specifically February 29th, to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical year, which is the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the Sun. Without leap years, the calendar would gradually drift out of alignment with the seasons.

⚫︎ 今年は閏年です。 Translation: This year is a leap year. ⚫︎ 閏年には2月29日があります。 Translation: Leap years have February 29th. ⚫︎ 来年は閏年ではありません。 Translation: Next year is not a leap year.

You use 閏年 when discussing or referring to a leap year. It is a common term used in discussions about calendars, timekeeping, or when specifying dates that fall on February 29th. It is a straightforward term and is not typically used figuratively.

⚫︎ The word is typically written in kanji as 閏年。 ⚫︎ The reading is うるうどし in hiragana. ⚫︎ There are no other common ways to write this word. ⚫︎ The okurigana (送りがな) is part of the kanji, there's no variation.

There aren't direct synonyms for 閏年 in Japanese, as it is a very specific term. The closest equivalent might be phrases that describe a year with an extra day, but there isn't a single word alternative.

There is no direct antonym. You might describe a "normal year" without an extra day, but there isn't a single antonymous term.

私は閏年の2月29日に生まれました。 ・Translation: I was born on February 29th of a leap year. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 閏年 to specify a particular date that only occurs in a leap year.

閏年には、オリンピックが開催されることが多いです。 ・Translation: The Olympics are often held in leap years. ・Explanation: This sentence explains a common association with leap years.

The kanji 閏 itself means "intercalary" or "leap." It signifies the insertion of an extra period of time to align a calendar with the solar year. 年 means "year." The combination 閏年 therefore literally translates to "leap year," referring to a year where an extra day is inserted.