賀状

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 賀状 is a noun read がじょう, meaning a congratulatory card, including a New Year's card.
• Basic usage: It can refer to writing a New Year's card to a former teacher or congratulatory cards from earlier years remaining in a box.
  • 恩師へ新年の賀状を書いた。 says that a New Year's card was written to a former teacher; 棚の箱には昔届いた賀状が残っていた。 says that congratulatory cards received long ago remained in a box on the shelf.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 恩師へ賀状を書く
  • へ marks the former teacher as the recipient toward whom the New Year's congratulation is directed.
• 昔届いた賀状
  • 届いた modifies 賀状 and identifies the congratulatory cards as ones that arrived long ago.
• 賀状 and 年賀状
  • 賀状 denotes a congratulatory card, while 年賀状 is the type sent specifically for New Year's greetings.