Japanese kanji 午: noon; time of day

The idea

Kanji may have Japanese-origin and Chinese-origin readings; learn each with its word. Compare 午前（ごぜん） and 午後（ごご）. 午 has 4 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Examples

• 午前ごぜんに母ははへ電話でんわをかけます。I call my mother in the morning.
• 午後ごごに会社かいしゃでお茶ちゃを飲のみます。I drink tea at the office in the afternoon.
• 午前ごぜん九時くじに電車でんしゃが出でます。The train leaves at nine in the morning.
• 正午しょうごにお昼ひるを食たべます。I eat lunch at noon.
• 午後ごご三時さんじに駅えきで会あいます。We meet at the station at three in the afternoon.
• 先生せんせいは午後ごごに本ほんを読よみます。The teacher reads a book in the afternoon.

Watch out

午前 is before noon, 午後 is after noon, and 正午 is twelve noon. Compare the shape of 午 with 牛 so you do not confuse them.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 午前 in hiragana.

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   ごぜん

   午前 is read ごぜん; it means morning; a.m.. Learn the reading as part of this word.

2. Write the reading of 午後 in hiragana.

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   ごご

   午後 is read ごご; it means afternoon; p.m.. Learn the reading as part of this word.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿後（ごご）.

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   午

   午 completes 午後, read ごご; the word means afternoon; p.m..

Use it today

Cover the table, write 午 from memory, and read 午前 and 午後 aloud. Then check the readings and meanings.