1.
dawn, daybreak
The time of day when light first appears in the sky; the beginning of morning.
夜明けに起きた。
I got up at dawn.
夜明けの空が美しかった。
The sky at dawn was beautiful.
夜明け前が一番暗い。
It's darkest just before dawn.
A common saying meaning things are worst just before they get better
夜明けとともに鳥が鳴き始めた。
The birds started singing with the break of dawn.
夜明けとともに = at dawn, with the break of day
登山者たちは夜明け前に出発し、山頂で日の出を見た。
The climbers departed before dawn and saw the sunrise from the summit.
2.
beginning, dawn (figurative)
The start of a new era, period, or development.
新しい時代の夜明けだ。
It's the dawn of a new era.
Figurative usage
民主主義の夜明けを告げる出来事だった。
It was an event that heralded the dawn of democracy.
科学技術の夜明けとも言える発見だ。
It's a discovery that could be called the dawn of science and technology.
長い戦争が終わり、平和の夜明けがようやく訪れた。
The long war ended, and the dawn of peace finally arrived.
あの革命は、古い体制が崩れ、新しい社会の夜明けとなった歴史的な転換点だった。
That revolution was a historic turning point where the old system collapsed and became the dawn of a new society.
夜明け refers to the time when darkness gives way to light — the transition from night to morning. It is also commonly used figuratively for the beginning of a new era or period.
WORD FORMATION:
夜 (night) + 明け (opening, dawning) = the end of night
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 夜明け前: before dawn
- 夜明けとともに: at the break of dawn
- 〜の夜明け: the dawn of ~ (figurative)
- 夜明けを待つ: to wait for dawn
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 明け方: early morning, around dawn (more colloquial)
- 暁: dawn (literary/poetic)
- 日の出: sunrise (the specific moment the sun appears)
- 朝: morning (general)
SAYING:
夜明け前が一番暗い — "It's darkest before dawn." Used to encourage someone that things will improve after a difficult period.