夜中(よなか)

よなか
noun, adverb
middle of the night
time-period
1. middle of the night, midnight
The late night hours, typically from around midnight to early morning when most people are asleep.
夜中(よなか)に起(お)きた。
I woke up in the middle of the night.
夜中(よなか)に電話(でんわ)が鳴(な)りました。
The phone rang in the middle of the night.
夜中(よなか)まで勉強(べんきょう)しました。
I studied until the middle of the night.
夜中(よなか)に外(そと)で大(おお)きな音(おと)がして、びっくりしました。
I was startled by a loud noise outside in the middle of the night.
夜中(よなか)の二時(にじ)ごろに赤(あか)ちゃんが泣(な)き出(だ)したので、母(はは)は起(お)きてミルクをあげました。
The baby started crying around 2 AM, so the mother got up and gave milk.

夜中(よなか) refers to the deep night hours when most people are sleeping, roughly midnight to early morning. It is later and more specific than 夜(よる) (night/evening).

Common patterns

  • 夜中(よなか)に: in the middle of the night (point in time)
  • 夜中(よなか)まで: until the middle of the night
  • 夜中(よなか)の二(に)時(じ): 2 AM (specific time within 夜中(よなか))

Related words

Related Words

Related: 深夜(しんや) (late at night)
Related: 未明(みめい) (predawn, early morning hours)
Compare: 夜間(やかん) (nighttime, at night)
Related: 昼間(ひるま) (daytime)
core
Added 2026.1.7 21:50 · Revised 2026.10.9 16:17
01000/01008_yonaka