未明

• Reading: みめい
• Romaji: mimei
• Kanji breakdown: 未 (mi) — not yet; 明 (mei) — bright, dawn, clear
• Pronunciation: /mi.meː/

Meaning

Early dawn; predawn; the small hours of the morning. The time before daylight arrives.

A noun/adverb used almost exclusively in news and formal writing to specify the very early morning hours (roughly 1:00-5:00 AM). Most commonly seen in the pattern 〜日未明 (in the early hours of day X). Not used in casual conversation — people would say 朝早く or 夜中 instead.

Examples

1. 火事は昨日未明に発生した。 The fire broke out in the early hours of yesterday morning.
2. 台風は明日未明に上陸する見込みだ。 The typhoon is expected to make landfall in the predawn hours tomorrow.
3. 未明に目が覚めて、そのまま眠れなかった。 I woke up in the small hours of the morning and couldn't get back to sleep.

Usage Guide

Context: news, weather reports, official announcements

Tone: factual

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 未 (mi, not yet) + 明 (mei, bright/dawn). Literally 'not yet bright' — the hour before daylight arrives.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal