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On'yomi
YA
Kun'yomi
よ・よる
yo / yoru

night · evening

mysteriousdark

Details

Strokes8
Frequency#487
Radicalevening(3)

Stroke Order

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Strokes8

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

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

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

柿本人麻呂Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
7th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

中納言家持Chūnagon Yakamochi
8th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

清原深養父Kiyohara no Fukayabu
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

大中臣能宣大中臣能宣
Unknown
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

右大将道綱母Udaishō Michitsuna no Haha
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

紫式部Murasaki Shikibu
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

赤染衛門Akazome Emon
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

清少納言Sei Shōnagon
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

周防内侍Suō no Naishi
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

三条院Emperor Sanjō
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

源兼昌源兼昌
Unknown
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

俊恵法師Shun'e Hōshi
12th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

後京極摂政前太政大臣Go-Kyōgoku Sesshō Saki no Daijō-daijin
13th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (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

参議雅経Sangi Masatsune
13th century

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