正午(しょうご)

しょうご
noun
noon, midday
formalpolite
1. noon, midday, 12:00 PM
Exactly twelve o'clock in the middle of the day.
正午(しょうご)のニュースを見(み)た。
I watched the noon news.
会議(かいぎ)は正午(しょうご)に始(はじ)まる。
The meeting starts at noon.
正午(しょうご)を過(す)ぎたら、午後(ごご)になる。
Once it passes noon, it becomes afternoon.
正午(しょうご)になったら、お昼(ひる)ごはんを食(た)べよう。
Let's eat lunch when it's noon.
飛行機(ひこうき)は正午(しょうご)ちょうどに出発(しゅっぱつ)する予定(よてい)だったが、天気(てんき)が悪(わる)くて遅(おく)れた。
The plane was scheduled to depart at exactly noon, but it was delayed due to bad weather.

正午(しょうご) means exactly 12:00 PM (noon). More precise and formal than 昼(ひる), which loosely refers to midday or daytime.

Similar words

  • 正午(しょうご): exactly 12:00 PM (precise, formal)
  • 昼(ひる): noon/daytime/midday (casual, approximate)
  • お昼(ひる): polite form; often means "lunch" or "lunchtime"
  • 真(ま)昼(ひる): broad daylight, the middle of the day

Common expressions

Usage

Used in schedules, announcements, and news. In everyday conversation, 昼(ひる) or お昼(ひる) is more natural: お昼(ひる)に会(あ)おう (let's meet at lunchtime) rather than 正午(しょうご)に会(あ)おう.

Related Words

Related: 昼(ひる) (noon (casual))
Compare: 零時(れいじ) (midnight (zero o-clock))
Compare: お昼(ひる) (polite form)
Compare: 真昼(まひる) (broad daylight, the middle of the day)
Compare: 午後(ごご) (afternoon, PM)
core
Added 2026.1.12 9:52 · Revised 2026.9.19 15:46
03000/03231_shougo