宵
宵·early evening, nightfall
- On-yomi
- ショウ
- Kun-yomi
- よい
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 宵 | よい | early evening, the first hours of night |
| 今宵 | こよい | this evening, tonight (literary) |
| 宵の口 | よいのくち | early in the evening |
| 宵っ張り | よいっぱり | night owl, someone who stays up late |
Example sentences
宵の口から祭りの太鼓が鳴っている。
よいのくちからまつりのたいこがなっている。
The festival drums have been sounding since early evening.
今宵は月がきれいですね。
こよいはつきがきれいですね。
The moon is lovely tonight.
弟は宵っ張りで朝が弱い。
おとうとはよいっぱりであさがよわい。
My brother is a night owl and hopeless in the mornings.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 今宵 as いまよい — it is こよい
- Treating 宵 as 'late night' — it is the early evening; deep night is 夜中 or 深夜
Memory aid
Picture it
A roof 宀 over 肖, the element in 消 (fade): under the roof the daylight is fading — the early hours of night.
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 宵 mean?