Translation guide
In Japanese, the concept of a 'national holiday' is most commonly expressed with the word 祝日 (shukujitsu). There is also a more formal term 国民の祝日 (kokumin no shukujitsu), and a legal term 法定休日 (houtei kyuujitsu). When referring to specific holidays, the names are used directly.
The speaker wants to refer to a day designated as a public holiday by the government, in a general or everyday context.
This is the most common and natural word for 'national holiday' in Japanese. It covers all public holidays and is used in both spoken and written contexts.
明日は祝日だから、学校は休みです。
Tomorrow is a national holiday, so there's no school.
日本の祝日はたくさんあります。
There are many national holidays in Japan.
A more formal and explicit phrase meaning 'national holiday' or 'public holiday of the people'. It is often used in official contexts or when emphasizing the national aspect.
国民の祝日に関する法律
the Act on National Holidays
This word originally referred to religious festival days, but is sometimes used interchangeably with 祝日 in older or combined terms like 祝祭日. In modern usage, it is less common and can sound slightly archaic or specific to traditional festivals.
祝祭日には多くの店が休みになります。
Many shops close on public holidays and festival days.
The speaker needs to refer to a national holiday in a legal, business, or official document context, where precise terminology is required.
This is a legal term meaning 'statutory holiday' or 'legal holiday'. It is used in labor law and official regulations to denote days off mandated by law.
法定休日に出勤した場合は、割増賃金が支払われます。
If you work on a statutory holiday, you will be paid overtime rates.
The speaker wants to mention a particular national holiday, such as New Year's Day or Coming of Age Day.
In Japanese, it is most natural to refer to a specific national holiday by its proper name rather than using a generic term. For example, 'New Year's Day' is 元日 (がんじつ), 'Coming of Age Day' is 成人の日 (せいじんのひ), etc. This is the standard way to talk about a particular holiday.
元日は国民の祝日です。
New Year's Day is a national holiday.
来週の月曜日は成人の日です。
Next Monday is Coming of Age Day.
祝日 (shukujitsu) specifically means a national holiday established by law. 休日 (kyuujitsu) is a broader term meaning 'day off' or 'holiday', which can include weekends, company holidays, or personal days off. Use 祝日 when you mean a public/national holiday.
今日は祝日ですか、それとも普通の休日ですか？
Is today a national holiday, or just a regular day off?
When asking if a certain day is a national holiday, you can simply say 「〜は祝日ですか？」. To say 'national holiday' as a concept, 祝日 is sufficient. Adding 国民の makes it more formal.
明日は祝日ですか？
Is tomorrow a national holiday?