1.
dawn, daybreak
The time when night ends and day begins; the break of day.
夜明けが近い。
Dawn is near.
明けの空が赤く染まっていた。
The dawn sky was dyed red.
明けの明星が東の空に輝いていた。
The morning star was shining in the eastern sky.
2.
end of a period, beginning of a new era
The point at which a period or season ends and transitions into the next phase. Used for the end of the rainy season, the new year, and similar transitions.
梅雨明けを待っている。
I'm waiting for the end of the rainy season.
年明けに会いましょう。
Let's meet after the new year.
連休明けは仕事がたまっていて大変だ。
Work piles up after the long holiday, so it's tough.
USAGE:
The noun form of the verb 明ける (to dawn, to open). In sense 1, most commonly appears in the compound 夜明け (dawn, daybreak). In sense 2, it forms many useful compounds:
- 梅雨明け: end of the rainy season
- 年明け: the new year, after the new year
- 連休明け: after a long holiday
- 正月明け: after New Year's
- 夏休み明け: after summer vacation
The sense 2 pattern 〜明け is very productive and means "right after the end of ~."
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 夜明け: dawn, daybreak
- 梅雨明け: end of rainy season
- 年明け: new year
- 明けの明星: the morning star (Venus)