夜
night · evening
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
left-right: 亠 + person + 夕
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of evening, lid, and person. Person under moon.
Symbolism
Nighttime, night view, midnight. Represents darkness and silence.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Silence of the night
Seasonal
Spring night, summer night, autumn night, winter night—each is a seasonal word with distinctive atmosphere. "Fifteenth night" is autumn's full moon night.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
昼夜兼行
ちゅうやけんこう
around-the-clock; (working) day and night; around-the-clock
白河夜船
しらかわよふね
being fast asleep (and totally unaware of what is going on around one); know-it-all manner; being fast asleep (and totally unaware of what is going on around one)
夜郎自大
やろうじだい
throwing one's weight around without knowing one's limitations; Yelang thinks too highly of itself; throwing one's weight around without knowing one's limitations
連日連夜
れんじつれんや
every day and every night; every day and every night
百鬼夜行
ひゃっきやぎょう
nightly procession of monsters, spirits, etc.; veritable pandemonium; large number of people plotting and doing evil; nightly procession of monsters, spirits, etc.
夜目遠目
よめとおめ
seen in the dark or at a distance; (a woman) looking prettier when seen in the dark or at a distance; seen in the dark or at a distance
如法暗夜
にょほうあんや
total (utter) darkness; total (utter) darkness
無明長夜
むみょうじょうや
the long night of spiritual darkness; the long night of spiritual darkness
Proverbs & Idioms
夜明け前が一番暗い
よあけまえがいちばんくらい
It is darkest before dawn
Things get better after the worst moment
Poetry
あしびきの 山鳥の尾の しだり尾の ながながし夜を ひとりかも寝む
Poem #3 from Hyakunin Isshu
かささぎの 渡せる橋に おく霜の 白きを見れば 夜ぞふけにける
Poem #6 from Hyakunin Isshu
夏の夜は まだ宵ながら 明けぬるを 雲のいづこに 月やどるらむ
Poem #36 from Hyakunin Isshu
みかきもり 衛士のたく火の 夜は燃え 昼は消えつつ 物をこそ思へ
Poem #49 from Hyakunin Isshu
嘆きつつ ひとり寝る夜の 明くるまは いかに久しき ものとかは知る
Poem #53 from Hyakunin Isshu
めぐりあひて 見しやそれとも 分かぬまに 雲がくれにし 夜半の月かな
Poem #57 from Hyakunin Isshu
やすらはで 寝なましものを さ夜更けて かたぶくまでの 月を見しかな
Poem #59 from Hyakunin Isshu
夜をこめて 鳥のそらねは はかるとも よに逢坂の 関はゆるさじ
Poem #62 from Hyakunin Isshu
春の夜の 夢ばかりなる 手枕に かひなく立たむ 名こそ惜しけれ
Poem #67 from Hyakunin Isshu
心にも あらでうき世に ながらへば 恋しかるべき 夜半の月かな
Poem #68 from Hyakunin Isshu
淡路島 かよふ千鳥の 鳴く声に 幾夜ねざめぬ 須磨の関守
Poem #78 from Hyakunin Isshu
夜もすがら 物思ふころは 明けやらで 閨のひまさへ つれなかりけり
Poem #85 from Hyakunin Isshu
きりぎりす 鳴くや霜夜の さむしろに 衣かたしき ひとりかも寝む
Poem #91 from Hyakunin Isshu
み吉野の 山の秋風 さ夜ふけて ふるさと寒く 衣うつなり
Poem #94 from Hyakunin Isshu