Chinese word

黎明

Pronunciation

Pinyinlí míng

Meaning

  • noundawn

Example

鸟在黎明开始唱歌。niǎo zài lí míng kāi shǐ chàng gē

Birds begin singing at dawn.

Illustration for 黎明 (dawn)

More examples

山村在黎明时分弥漫着炊烟。shān cūn zài lí míng shí fēn mí màn zhe chuī yān

Cooking smoke fills the mountain village at dawn.

Core concept

The edge of morning where night is fading and the first light is beginning to show.

Common phrases

  • 黎明时分lí míng shí fēn

    at dawn

  • 在黎明前zài lí míng qián

    before dawn

  • 黎明降临lí míng jiàng lín

    dawn arrives

Similar words

早上zǎo shàng: The ordinary morning time for daily activities and plans.
清晨qīng chén: The quiet early-morning period just before or around sunrise.

Definition in Chinese

表示从黑暗向光明过渡的早晨时刻，特指天刚亮、阳光尚未完全出现的那一段时间。biǎo shì cóng hēi àn xiàng guāng míng guò dù de zǎo chén shí kè tè zhǐ tiān gāng liàng yáng guāng shàng wèi wán quán chū xiàn de nà yí duàn shí jiān

Word origin

黎 (lí, "dark") + 明 (míng, "bright") contrasts darkness with brightness, giving the compound its meaning of daybreak.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, 黎明 (límíng, "dawn") sounds more literary than the ordinary morning-time expressions used for daily plans and routines.

Opposites

Word lists with this word