Japanese word

夜明け

Pronunciation

Romajiyoake

Meaning

  • noundawn

Example

夜明けに鳥が鳴きます。yo a ke ni tori ga na ki ma su

The birds sing at dawn.

Illustration for 夜明け (dawn)

More examples

夜明けの静かな町を歩くと、すがすがしい気分になります。yo a ke no shizu ka na machi o aru ku to su ga su ga shi i ki bun ni na ri ma su

Walking through the quiet town at dawn makes me feel refreshed.

Core concept

Names the early light that signals night is ending and a new day is starting.

Common phrases

  • 夜明け前yo a ke mae

    before dawn

  • 夜明けを待つyo a ke o ma tsu

    wait for dawn

  • 夜明けに起きるyo a ke ni o ki ru

    get up at dawn

Similar words

明け方akegata: The period around the first light of day, as darkness gives way to morning.
東雲shinonome: The light and time of daybreak, often used in literary language.
暁akatsuki: The first light of morning seen before the sun is fully up.

Definition in Japanese

夜が終わり、日の出の前後にあたりが明るくなっていく時分。yoru ga o wa ri hi no de no zen go ni a ta ri ga aka ru ku na tte i ku ji bun

Word origin

夜明け (yoake) is formed from 夜 (yo, "night") and 明け (ake), the stem of 明ける (akeru, "to grow light"), which describes the end of night.

Usage tips

  • In English, dawn can describe the beginning of something besides a day, as in "the dawn of a new era."

Other meanings

  • daybreaknoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word