夜: the kanji for night
夜 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means night. Below are its readings, 12 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
夜 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
夜 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 12 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ヤ (ya)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 今夜こんや · kon'ya | tonight |
| 深夜しんや · shin'ya | late at night |
| 夜間やかん · yakan | nighttime |
| 昨夜さくや · sakuya | last night |
| 夜勤やきん · yakin | night shift |
| 徹夜てつや · tetsuya | staying up all night |
| 夜行バスやこうばす · yakō basu | overnight bus |
よ (yo)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 夜中よなか · yonaka | middle of the night |
| 夜明けよあけ · yoake | dawn |
| 夜空よぞら · yozora | night sky |
よる (yoru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 夜よる · yoru | night |
| 夜ご飯よるごはん · yorugohan | dinner |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 今夜、一緒に食事をしませんか。Kon'ya, issho ni shokuji o shimasen ka.Would you like to have dinner together tonight?
- 昨日は徹夜で資料を作りました。Kinō wa tetsuya de shiryō o tsukurimashita.I stayed up all night making the materials.
- 夜中に地震で目が覚めました。Yonaka ni jishin de me ga samemashita.An earthquake woke me up in the middle of the night.
- 夜行バスで京都へ行きます。Yakō basu de Kyōto e ikimasu.I'm taking an overnight bus to Kyoto.
- 深夜は電話を控えてください。Shin'ya wa denwa o hikaete kudasai.Please avoid calling late at night.
- 夜は涼しくなりました。Yoru wa suzushiku narimashita.The nights have become cooler.
Questions about 夜
How many strokes does 夜 have?
夜 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 夜?
The on readings are ya (ヤ). The kun readings are yo (よ), yoru (よる).
What is the difference between 今夜 and 今晩?
Both mean tonight. 今晩 (konban) is common in everyday speech, as in こんばんは. 今夜 (kon'ya) sounds a little more written and is common in news and plans.
What JLPT level is 夜?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Time and seasons
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 夜
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.