西暦

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 西暦 (reading せいれき) is a noun combining 西 and 暦; it names the Common Era system of numbering years.
• Basic usage: Use it when dates on a timeline or a year of birth are to be written in the Western/Common Era calendar.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• System versus individual year
  • 西暦 names the dating system; a particular year is expressed with a number, as in 西暦2020年.
• Contrast with 和暦
  • 和暦 uses Japanese era names, whereas 西暦 counts years in the Common Era system.