The Meaning of shinkon [新婚] In Japanese

新婚
しんこん
Romaji: shinkon N4

What does 新婚 mean?

Translation and Meaning

newlywed, newlywed couple

Definition

What does 新婚 mean? It denotes the state of being newly married or a person who has recently married. In everyday use, it refers to the early period after marriage and the status of the couple, and is commonly seen in phrases describing married life or events related to a wedding.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • newlywed status — shinkon
  • the period or state of being newly married
  • as a modifier with の to describe a newlywed couple or related concepts

Etymology

新 means new; 婚 means marriage; their on’yomi readings combine to form shinkon, indicating a compound meaning newly married.

Composition

  • 新: means new; on’yomi shin; commonly used in compounds to convey ‘new’
  • 婚: means marriage; on’yomi kon; used in compounds to denote marriage

Usage

Used as a noun or modifier in Japanese to describe people or periods associated with early married life. It appears in formal and casual contexts, in sentences like 新婚の夫婦 or 新婚旅行, and denotes status or events linked to the start of marriage.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine 木 (tree) and 斤 (axe) combining to form 新, a symbol of making something new; add 婚 for marriage to remember ‘new marriage’

Variations

  • 新婚さん — shinkon-san (informal way to refer to a newlywed)
  • 初婚 — shokon (first marriage)
  • 既婚 — kikon (married, not newlywed)

Example Phrases

  • 新婚の友人を家に招待した。
    Shinkon no yūjin o ie ni shōtaishita.
    I invited my newlywed friend to my house.
    Lista:
    • 新婚 (shinkon) – newlywed
    • の (no) – of (possessive marker)
    • 友人 (yūjin) – friend
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 家 (ie) – house
    • に (ni) – to
    • 招待した (shōtaishita) – invited
    新婚 funciona como um na-adjetivo; aqui aparece como 「新婚の」 para modificar 「友人」, significando ‘newlywed’.
新婚