年始

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 年始 (ねんし) combines year 年 and beginning 始 to denote the opening period of a year.
• Basic usage: It is used for family gatherings and store schedules during the first part of the New Year.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A beginning period, not only one date
  • 年始 can cover the opening days of the year and is not limited strictly to January 1.