夜

• Reading: よる
• Romaji: yoru
• Kanji breakdown: 夜 (yoru/ya) — night
• Pronunciation: /jo.ɾɯ/

Meaning

Night; evening. The period from sunset to dawn.

Read as よる as a standalone noun. Covers the time from evening through late night. Common compounds include 夜ご飯 (yorugohan, dinner, casual), 今夜 (konya, tonight), and 夜中 (yonaka, middle of the night). In compounds can also be read as や, as in 夜景 (yakei, night view). Distinct from 晩 (ban), which specifically means 'evening.'

Examples

1. 夜、友だちと電話で話します。 At night, I talk to my friends on the phone.
2. 昨日の夜は早く寝ました。 I went to bed early last night.
3. 夜はあまり出かけません。 I don't go out much at night.

Usage Guide

Context: daily routines, plans, weather

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 夜 combines 亠 (lid), 人 (person), and 夕 (evening), depicting a person under cover at dusk — the onset of night.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal