Japanese kanji 夜: night

The idea

Common Chinese-derived readings include ヤ. Japanese-origin readings include よる・よ. Compare 夜 (よる) with 今夜 (こんや). 夜 has 8 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Examples

• 夜よる、家いえで映画えいがを見みます。I watch a film at home in the evening.
• 夜よる、お風呂ふろに入はいります。I take a bath in the evening.
• 今夜こんやは早はやく寝ねます。I will go to bed early tonight.
• 店みせは夜よる八時はちじに閉しまります。The shop closes at eight at night.
• 夜よるに花火はなびを見みます。We watch fireworks at night.
• 夜中よなかに目めが覚さめました。I woke up in the middle of the night.

Watch out

The word 夜 often reads よる; the character is や in 今夜 and よ in 夜中. Compare 夜 with 変: look for 亻 in 夜.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 夜 in hiragana.

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   よる

   夜 is read よる; the whole word means night; evening.

2. Write the reading of 今夜 in hiragana.

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   こんや

   今夜 is read こんや; the whole word means tonight.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿中（よなか）.

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   夜

   夜 completes 夜中, read よなか; the whole word means middle of the night.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 夜 from memory, and read 夜 and 今夜 aloud. Make a sentence, then check the readings and meanings.