Word
夕方
Meaning in Englishlate afternoon, early evening
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Word context
What it means
夕方 means the period of the day from late afternoon to early evening, when daylight fades and the sky can take on a dusky hue; commonly used in everyday speech and schedules.
Main meanings
- Typical time window: late afternoon to early evening, before night
- Casual speech and scheduling contexts
- Can imply around sunset in phrases like 夕方頃
How to use it
Used to reference the late-afternoon to early-evening period in formal and informal contexts; common in schedules, weather reports, media, and casual conversation; not used for late night.
Variants and close terms
- 夕刻 — ゆうこく — (yūkoku)
- 黄昏時 — たそがれどき — (tasogare-doki)
- 夕ごろ — ゆうごろ — (yūgoro)
Composition
- 夕: evening; dusk
- 方: direction/side; in time-related compounds, marks a portion or period
Etymology
Native compound formed from 夕 (evening) and 方 (direction/side); the pronunciation ゆうがた (yūgata) reflects a natural kun-reading combination, with the long vowel realized in modern Japanese as yūgata.
Word class
Noun (名詞)
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