Explanation of French Le Jour J, D-Day

The French expression le jour J (pronounced  [leu  zhoor  zhee]) literally refers to D-Day, 6 June 1944, when the Allies invaded Normandy, France during World War II. More generally, both le jour J and D-Day can refer to the day any military operation will occur. The J stands for nothing more exciting than jour. Its  register  is normal. Beyond the military, le jour J is used figuratively for the date of an important event, such as a wedding, graduation, or contest; it is equivalent to the big day in English. (While D-Day can also be used figuratively, it is much less common and is limited to less than joyous occasions, such as deadlines and visiting your in-laws.) Examples   Ã‚  Ã‚  Samedi, cest le jour J.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Saturday is the big day.      Le jour J approche !  Ã‚  Ã‚  The big day is almost here! Synonym: le grand jour