Translation and Meaning of: 昼 - hiru

The Japanese word 「昼」 (hiru) is a common term used to refer to the period of the day between morning and evening, often referred to as "afternoon" or "noon" in various contexts. In Japanese tradition, this term has meanings that go beyond the simple division of the day, encompassing everyday moments and specific rituals. The character 「昼」 is composed of two parts: the radical 「日」 (sun) and the lower part that suggests activity or movement, reflecting the idea of brightness and active time governed by the sun.

The etymology of 「昼」 traces back to the ancient combination of the ideas of sunlight and liveliness. The radical 「日」 indicates a close connection with the sun, which is a common theme in various cultures to designate daytime periods. Historically, in Japan, the noon period was considered a moment of pause and reflection, where daily activities were temporarily suspended, creating its own cultural significance. Although technology and modern lifestyle have altered some of these practices, the essence of 「昼」 remains in daily vocabulary as a reference not only to time but also to the energy that the sun provides.

In addition to its literal meaning, the word 「昼」 is also present in various Japanese expressions and combinations. For example, 「昼食」 (chuushoku), which means "lunch," is an integral part of the Japanese daily routine and reflects both a specific time and traditional eating practices. Other variations include 「昼間」 (hiruma), which refers to the time frame during the daytime, particularly highlighting the contrast with the night. Thus, the use of 「昼」 in the Japanese language demonstrates the cultural and linguistic depth of this seemingly simple concept of "day."

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 昼間 (hiruma) - During the day
• 日中 (nichu) - During the day (more formal)
• 午前 (gozen) - Before noon
• 午後 (gogo) - After noon
• 昼時 (hiruzoki) - Lunch time
• 昼下がり (hirusagari) - Afternoon
• 昼過ぎ (hirusugi) - After noon, the beginning of the afternoon
• 昼前 (hirumae) - Before noon
• 昼ごはん (hirugohan) - Lunch (informal)
• 昼食 (chuushoku) - Midday meal (formal)
• 昼食休憩 (chuushoku kyuukei) - Lunch break
• 昼食時 (chuushoku-ji) - Lunch time (formal)
• 昼食前 (chuushoku-mae) - Before the midday meal
• 昼食後 (chuushoku-go) - After the midday meal

昼

Romaji: hiru
Kana: ひる
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: midday; day

Meaning in English: noon;daytime

Definition: Daytime schedule between 12:00 and 12:00.

Example Sentences - (昼) hiru

See below some example sentences:

昼食は何を食べますか？

Chuushoku wa nani wo tabemasu ka?

What do you eat for lunch?

What do you eat for lunch?

• 昼食 - lunch
• は - Topic particle
• 何 - what
• を - direct object particle
• 食べますか - Do you eat?

お昼ごはんを食べましょう。

Ohiru gohan wo tabemashou

Let's eat lunch.

Let's have lunch.

• お昼ごはん - lunch
• を - direct object particle
• 食べましょう - Let's eat

昼はお弁当を食べます。

Hiru wa obento wo tabemasu

I like my lunch at a lunch box during the day.

I lunch during the day.

• 昼 (hiru) - noon
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• お弁当 (obentou) - packed lunch
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 食べます (tabemasu) - eat

昼寝は健康に良いです。

Chuune wa kenkou ni yoi desu

Nap is good for your health.

• 昼寝 (hirune) - nap during the day
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 健康 (kenkou) - health
• に (ni) - grammatical particle that indicates the purpose or target of the action
• 良い (yoi) - good
• です (desu) - polite way of being