夜里

• Pinyin: yè lǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 夜 = night (see above); 里 = 田 (field) + 土 (earth), originally 'village,' extended to 'inside'

Meaning

At night; during the night. Refers to the nighttime hours, especially late at night.

Used as a time expression meaning 'during the night' or 'in the night.' More specific to the darker hours compared to 晚上 which can include early evening. Often implies something happening while most people are asleep.

Examples

1. 夜里外面很冷，别出去了。 It's very cold outside at night — don't go out.
2. 我夜里经常听到楼上有声音。 I often hear noises from upstairs during the night.
3. 孩子夜里发烧了，妈妈很着急。 The child got a fever during the night, and the mother was very worried.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, conversation

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 夜里十二点他还在学习。(He was still studying at midnight.)
• 夜里开车要特别小心。(You need to be especially careful driving at night.)

Don't Say

• 我夜里六点吃的晚饭。(Don't use 夜里 for early evening — 6 PM is 晚上, not 夜里. Use 夜里 for later hours.)

Origin & History

Compound of 夜 (night) and 里 (inside/during), literally 'inside the night,' i.e. during the nighttime hours.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal