傍晚

• Pinyin: bàng wǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 傍 = 亻(person) + 旁 (side), to approach; 晚 = 日 (sun) + 免, evening

Meaning

Evening; dusk; nightfall. The period of time when the sun is setting and daylight fades.

Refers to the time roughly between 5 PM and 7 PM when the sun sets and day transitions to night. A common time for people to finish work, have dinner, and relax. Often associated with a peaceful, transitional atmosphere.

Examples

1. 傍晚的海边特别美，很多人在那里看日落。 The beach is especially beautiful in the evening — many people watch the sunset there.
2. 她通常傍晚六点左右下班回家。 She usually gets off work and goes home around 6 PM in the evening.
3. 傍晚时分，街上的行人渐渐多了起来。 In the evening, pedestrians on the street gradually increased.

Usage Guide

Context: time, description

Tone: peaceful

Do Say

• 我们傍晚的时候去散步吧。(Let's go for a walk in the evening.)
• 傍晚的天空染上了橙红色。(The evening sky was tinted orange-red.)

Don't Say

• 不要把'傍晚'用于深夜 (Don't use 傍晚 for late night — it specifically refers to the time around sunset, roughly 5-7 PM)

Origin & History

Compound of 傍 (to approach, near) + 晚 (evening), meaning approaching evening time.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal