明後日

• Reading: あさって
• Romaji: asatte
• Kanji breakdown: 明 (myō/asu) — next, bright; 後 (go/ato) — after; 日 (nichi/hi) — day
• Pronunciation: /a.sa.tːe/

Meaning

Day after tomorrow. A common time expression used in everyday planning and scheduling.

A noun and adverb. Unlike English, which requires the phrase 'day after tomorrow,' Japanese has a single dedicated word. Part of a series: 昨日 (yesterday), 今日 (today), 明日 (tomorrow), 明後日 (day after tomorrow). The reading あさって is irregular and cannot be guessed from the kanji alone.

Examples

1. 明後日の会議は午後三時からです。 The meeting the day after tomorrow starts at 3 PM.
2. 明後日までにレポートを出さなければならない。 I have to submit the report by the day after tomorrow.
3. 明後日は友達と映画を見に行く予定だ。 I'm planning to go see a movie with a friend the day after tomorrow.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, scheduling, planning

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 明 (next/bright) and 後日 (later day). The reading あさって is believed to derive from あさて, an archaic Japanese word for the day after tomorrow, predating the kanji assignment.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal