冬至

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Written 冬至 and read とうじ, it is the winter solstice, the seasonal point around the shortest day and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere.
• Basic usage: It is associated with an early sunset and a grandmother preparing simmered squash.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Seasonal day rather than one clock time
  • The term names the calendar occasion defined by the sun's seasonal position.