昼: the kanji for daytime and noon
昼 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means daytime, noon. Below are its readings, 10 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
昼 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
昼 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
チュウ (chuu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 昼食ちゅうしょく · chūshoku | lunch |
| 昼夜ちゅうや · chūya | day and night |
| 白昼はくちゅう · hakuchū | broad daylight |
ひる (hiru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 昼ひる · hiru | noon; daytime |
| 昼ご飯ひるごはん · hirugohan | lunch |
| 昼休みひるやすみ · hiruyasumi | lunch break |
| 昼間ひるま · hiruma | daytime |
| お昼おひる · ohiru | lunch; noon |
| 真昼まひる · mahiru | midday |
| 昼寝ひるね · hirune | nap |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 昼休みは十二時から一時までです。Hiruyasumi wa jūniji kara ichiji made desu.Lunch break is from twelve to one.
- お昼、一緒にどうですか。O-hiru, issho ni dō desu ka.Want to have lunch together?
- 昼食会にご招待します。Chūshokukai ni go-shōtai shimasu.We'd like to invite you to a luncheon.
- 昼間は会社にいます。Hiruma wa kaisha ni imasu.I'm at the office during the day.
- 工場は昼夜二交代で動いています。Kōjō wa chūya nikōtai de ugoite imasu.The factory runs in two shifts, day and night.
- 週末は昼寝をしました。Shūmatsu wa hirune o shimashita.I took a nap on the weekend.
Questions about 昼
How many strokes does 昼 have?
昼 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 昼?
The on readings are chuu (チュウ). The kun readings are hiru (ひる).
What is the difference between お昼 and 昼ご飯?
Both can mean lunch. お昼 (o-hiru) means noon or lunch, and it is common in conversation, as in お昼に行きましょう. 昼ご飯 (hirugohan) clearly means the meal. 昼食 (chūshoku) is formal.
What JLPT level is 昼?
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 昼
- 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.