午前

• Reading: ごぜん
• Romaji: gozen
• Kanji breakdown: 午 (go) — noon, horse (zodiac); 前 (zen/mae) — before, front
• Pronunciation: /ɡo.zeɴ/

Meaning

Morning; a.m. The first half of the day, from midnight to noon.

Literally 'before noon' — 午 (go, noon) + 前 (zen, before). Used with clock times to specify a.m.: 午前七時 (gozen shichiji, 7:00 a.m.). More formal than 朝 (morning) and commonly seen on schedules, forms, and digital clocks. The pair 午前/午後 is the Japanese equivalent of a.m./p.m.

Examples

1. 午前九時に会議があります。 There's a meeting at 9:00 a.m.
2. 午前中に宿題を終わらせます。 I'll finish my homework by the end of the morning.
3. 飛行機は午前六時に出発します。 The plane departs at 6:00 a.m.

Usage Guide

Context: schedules, appointments, formal time

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 午 (go, the horse hour — noon in the traditional 12-branch time system) and 前 (zen, before). Literally means 'before the hour of the horse.'

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal