払暁(ふつぎょう)

Formality: Formal/literary. Often used in historical or military contexts. In everyday speech, 明(あ)け方(がた), 夜明(よあ)け, or 早朝(そうちょう) are more common.

Etymology: 払(ふつ) (to sweep away) + 暁(ぎょう) (dawn) - suggests the sweeping away of darkness.

Common collocations

• 払暁(ふつぎょう)に出発(しゅっぱつ)する (to depart at dawn)
• 払暁(ふつぎょう)の攻撃(こうげき) (dawn attack)
• 払暁(ふつぎょう)の空(そら) (the dawn sky)

Related words

• 夜明(よあ)け (daybreak - more common)
• 明(あ)け方(がた) (dawn - everyday word)
• 暁(あかつき) (dawn - literary, also means "when/if")
• 黎明(れいめい) (dawn - literary, also figurative)