Japanese word

夜中

Pronunciation

Romajiyonaka

Meaning

  • nounmiddle of the night

Example

夜中に水を飲みました。yo naka ni mizu o no mi ma shi ta

I drank water in the middle of the night.

Illustration for 夜中 (middle of the night)

More examples

夜中に外から大きな音が聞こえました。yo naka ni soto ka ra ō ki na oto ga ki ko e ma shi ta

I heard a loud noise from outside in the middle of the night.

Core concept

Centers on the part of nighttime that lies well after evening and around the hours when most people sleep.

Common phrases

  • 夜中の三時yo naka no san ji

    three in the morning

  • 夜中に目が覚めるyo naka ni me ga sa me ru

    wake up in the middle of the night

Similar words

真夜中mayonaka: The central and darkest part of the night, often near twelve o'clock.
深夜shinya: The late nighttime period after most people have gone to bed.

Definition in Japanese

夜のうち、特に人が寝静まる深夜の時間帯。yoru no u chi toku ni hito ga ne shizu ma ru shin ya no ji kan tai

Word origin

夜中 (yonaka) combines 夜 (yo, "night") and 中 (naka, "middle"), giving the sense of the middle part of the night.

Usage tips

  • Unlike midnight, 夜中 (yonaka) usually refers to a stretch of nighttime around the middle of the night, not a precise clock time.

Other meanings

  • late at nightnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word