#kanji

Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally "Month one", February is "Month two", etc:

一月 = January

二月 = February

However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar).

August is 葉月.

葉 = leaf/leaves

月 = month

So what does August have to do with leaves?

It is likely a reference to 紅葉, red autumn leaves, which many Japanese people admire, almost as much as the cherry blossom in spring.

Of course, the autumn leaf season is actually more likely to begin in September or October.

If you study Japanese you may have noticed that there are a lot of kanji and words that have the pronunciation of かえる (kaeru).

I wanted to make a quick list of words with this pronunciation and their meanings and kanji.

Verbs

帰る　かえる　to return; to come home; to go home; to go back

私は毎日六時に家へ帰ります。 わたし は まいにち ろくじ に いえ へ かえります。 I go home at six o’clock every day.

返る　かえる　① to return; to be returned; to go back; ② to revert; to be restored to an original state

借りた本が図書館に返りました。 かりた ほん が としょかん に かえりました。 The borrowed book was returned to the library.

変える　かえる　to change; to alter; to modify; to transform

私は髪型を変えました。 わたし は かみがた を かえました。 I changed my hairstyle.

替える　かえる　to replace; to exchange; to substitute; to switch

車のタイヤを新しいものに替えました。 くるま の タイヤ を あたらしい もの に かえました。 I replaced the car tires with new ones.

換える　かえる　① to exchange; to convert; to trade; ② to change something into something else

日本円をドルに換えました。 にほんえん を ドル に かえました。 I exchanged Japanese yen for dollars.

代える　かえる　① to substitute; to replace; ② to take the place of; to act on behalf of

彼が先生に代えて説明しました。 かれ が せんせい に かえて せつめい しました。 He explained it in place of the teacher.

Noun

蛙　かえる　frog (often written as カエル)