1.
middle of the night, midnight
The late night hours, typically from around midnight to early morning when most people are asleep.
夜中 refers to the deep night hours when most people are sleeping, roughly midnight to early morning. It is later and more specific than 夜 (night/evening).
COMMON PARTICLES:
- 夜中に: in the middle of the night (point in time)
- 夜中まで: until the middle of the night
- 夜中の二時: 2 AM (specific time within 夜中)
RELATED TIME WORDS:
- 夜: night, evening (broader, from sunset onward)
- 深夜: late at night (more formal, often used in media)
- 未明: predawn, early morning hours
- 真夜中: dead of night (emphasizes the very middle)
USAGE NOTE:
夜中 often implies that the hour is unusually late, carrying a nuance of "at such a late hour." Saying 夜中に電話する suggests the call was inconveniently late.