1.
lunchtime; around noon
The time of day around noon when people typically eat lunch. Roughly 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
昼どきは混む。
It gets crowded at lunchtime.
昼どきのレストランは満席だった。
The restaurant was fully booked at lunchtime.
昼どきを避けて行けば、並ばなくて済む。
If you go outside of the lunch rush, you won't have to wait in line.
Refers specifically to the period around noon associated with the lunch meal. The suffix どき means "time for" and creates a natural, colloquial feel.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 昼どきの混雑: lunchtime crowds
- 昼どきを避ける: to avoid the lunch rush
- 昼どきに行く: to go at lunchtime
RELATED WORDS:
- 昼食: lunch (formal)
- お昼: lunch (casual)
- 夕どき: around evening/dusk — uses the same どき pattern
- 食べどき: the right time to eat something
USAGE:
Most commonly used when talking about restaurant crowding, meal timing, or scheduling around the midday period.