1.
midnight; 12:00 AM
The exact moment of 12 o'clock at night, marking the start of a new day.
午前零時を過ぎた。
It's past midnight.
セールは午前零時に始まる。
The sale starts at midnight.
午前零時ちょうどに年が変わり、花火が一斉に打ち上がった。
The year changed right at midnight, and fireworks were launched all at once.
A compound of 午前 (morning, AM) and 零時 (zero o'clock). This is the precise, formal way to express midnight in Japanese. It is commonly used in schedules, announcements, and official contexts.
In casual speech, 夜中の十二時 (twelve o'clock at night) or simply 真夜中 (the middle of the night) are more natural.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 午前零時を回る: to pass midnight
- 午前零時ちょうど: exactly at midnight
- 午前零時発: departing at midnight
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 真夜中: the dead of night — refers to the general time period around midnight, not a specific clock time
- 深夜: late at night — broader term for the late-night hours
- 日付が変わる: the date changes — another way to refer to the midnight moment