Chinese Conversation · Level 38
90 words
Chinese word
凌晨
Pronunciation
Pinyinlíng chén
Meaning
- nounbefore dawn
Example
他在凌晨三点离开了家。tā zài líng chén sān diǎn lí kāi le jiā
He left home at 3 a.m.
More examples
航班预定在凌晨起飞，旅客需提前到达机场。háng bān yù dìng zài líng chén qǐ fēi lǚ kè xū tí qián dào dá jī chǎng
The flight is scheduled to take off before dawn, so passengers need to arrive at the airport early.
Core concept
The last dark stretch of night, when dawn is close but daylight has not begun.
Common phrases
从凌晨开始cóng líng chén kāi shǐ
begin before dawn
凌晨四点líng chén sì diǎn
four in the morning
在凌晨赶飞机zài líng chén gǎn fēi jī
hurry to catch a flight before dawn
Similar words
清晨qīng chén: The early morning when the sun is beginning to rise and the sky is getting light.
早晨zǎo chén: The early morning period when people often wake up and begin their daily activities.
Definition in Chinese
指天还未亮、破晓之前的时段，通常用于表示夜深直至天将亮的时刻。zhǐ tiān hái wèi liàng pò xiǎo zhī qián de shí duàn tōng cháng yòng yú biǎo shì yè shēn zhí zhì tiān jiāng liàng de shí kè
Word origin
凌晨 (língchén, "before dawn") combines 凌 (líng, "approach") with 晨 (chén, "dawn"), presenting the time as dawn being approached.
Usage tips
- For English speakers, "early morning" often suggests a time after waking and perhaps after sunrise, but this word points to the still-dark hours before dawn.
Other meanings
- early morningnoun
Opposites
- 白天bái tiāndaytimenoun
- 深夜shēn yèlate at nightnoun