kakizome means the first calligraphy written at the beginning of a year. It carries an Arena rating of 1503, earned across 20 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, kakizome ranks #448 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words, #1,707 of 17,163 for Funniest Words, #2,556 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #4,762 of 17,140 for Most Whimsical Words.
Why “kakizome” is a great word
A ceremonial first act of calligraphy performed at the dawn of a new year, traditionally on the second of January. Borrowed from Japanese 書き初め (kakizome), from 書き (kaki, "writing") + 初め (some, "beginning, first"). Unlike *shodō*, which names the lifelong discipline of the brush, or *hatsuyume*, which captures a nocturnal and passive fortune, *kakizome* is a deliberate, waking ritual of commencement. It is the sharp scent of fresh ink on crisp *washi*, the deliberate pressure of the brush on pristine paper, and the stark, black character—often 夢 (dream) or 春 (spring)—standing alone in a field of white. A quiet assertion of order and intention against the blank uncertainty of the year ahead.
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 書き初め.
noun
- The first calligraphy written at the beginning of a year.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- shodo 58% match — Japanese calligraphy vs kakizome →
- shonichi 50% match — The first day of a basho, or the first win after a string of defeats vs kakizome →
- calligraphy 49% match — The art or practice of writing letters and words in a decorative style; the letters and words so written. vs kakizome →
- calligraph 48% match — To write using calligraphy. vs kakizome →
- shochikubai 48% match — A combination of pine, bamboo, and plum blossoms, especially associated with the New Year in Japan. vs kakizome →
- kaibun 47% match — A form of Japanese palindrome. vs kakizome →
- risshun 47% match — The first day of spring on the old Japanese calendar. vs kakizome →
- shikiri 46% match — the preparation time before a sumo bout during which the rikishi try to gain a psychological advantage by intense staring (niramiai) and when salt is ceremonially thrown (kiyome-jio) vs kakizome →