明天

• Pinyin: míng tiān
• Hanzi breakdown: 明 = 日 (sun) + 月 (moon), meaning bright/next; 天 = one stroke above 大 (big), meaning sky or day

Meaning

Tomorrow. The day after today.

One of the most essential time words. Part of the series: 昨天 (yesterday), 今天 (today), 明天 (tomorrow). Used constantly in daily planning and conversation.

Examples

1. 明天你有空吗？ Are you free tomorrow?
2. 明天见！ See you tomorrow!
3. 明天的天气怎么样？ What's the weather like tomorrow?

Usage Guide

Context: time, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 明天下午三点见。(See you tomorrow at three in the afternoon.)
• 明天我不上班。(I don't work tomorrow.)

Don't Say

• 在明天的早上。(Redundant — say 明天早上 directly, without 在 and 的)

Origin & History

A compound of 明 (bright/next) and 天 (day). Literally 'the bright day' or 'the coming day' — tomorrow.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal