正午

• Reading: しょうご
• Romaji: shougo
• Kanji breakdown: 正 (shou/sei) — correct, exact; 午 (go) — noon, Horse (zodiac)
• Pronunciation: /ɕoː.ɡo/

Meaning

Noon; midday. The exact point of 12:00 PM.

A noun used as a precise time reference, more formal than お昼 (ohiru, lunchtime). Often seen in schedules, announcements, and news broadcasts. Can function adverbially to indicate when something happens (正午に出発する, depart at noon).

Examples

1. 正午に駅前で待ち合わせしましょう。 Let's meet in front of the station at noon.
2. お昼のニュースは正午から始まる。 The midday news starts at noon.
3. 正午を過ぎると気温がさらに上がる。 After noon, the temperature rises even more.

Usage Guide

Context: scheduling, news, announcements

Tone: precise

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound of 正 (shou, correct/exact) and 午 (go, noon/the Horse in the Chinese zodiac). The Horse hour (午の刻) traditionally marked midday, so 正午 means 'exactly the Horse hour.'

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal