Japanese word

真夜中

Pronunciation

Romajimayonaka

Meaning

  • nounmidnight

Example

真夜中に電話が鳴りました。ma yo naka ni den wa ga na ri ma shi ta

The phone rang at midnight.

Illustration for 真夜中 (midnight)

More examples

真夜中に目が覚めました。ma yo naka ni me ga sa me ma shi ta

I woke up at midnight.

Core concept

Refers to the deepest part of the night rather than to nighttime in general.

Common phrases

  • 真夜中にma yo naka ni

    at midnight

  • 真夜中までma yo naka ma de

    until midnight

Similar words

夜中yonaka: The nighttime period between evening and morning.
深夜shinya: A late hour at night, often when most people are asleep.

Definition in Japanese

夜の中央に当たる、日付が変わる前後の時刻。yoru no chū ō ni a ta ru hi zuke ga ka wa ru zen go no ji koku

Word origin

真夜中 (mayonaka) is formed from 真 (ma, "true") and 夜中 (yonaka, "middle of the night"), so its structure presents this time as the real middle of the night.

Usage tips

  • Compared with 夜中 (yonaka), 真夜中 (mayonaka) adds emphasis, making the time sound unmistakably deep into the night rather than merely nighttime.

Other meanings

  • dead of nightnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word