元日

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 元日 is read がんじつ and means New Year's Day, January 1.
• Basic usage: It is used for a family meal that day or a store's closing date.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• One day and the New Year period
  • 元日 specifies January 1. 正月 can more broadly refer to the New Year period or its observances, so the two do not necessarily cover the same span.
• だけ for restriction
  • 元日だけ休業する means being closed only on that day. Removing だけ removes the restriction to that day alone.