午前か午後
Gozen ka gogo
The phrase 午前か午後 (Gozen ka gogo) is used in Japanese to express the concept of "am or pm".
This phrase is used to specify whether a time falls in the morning or the afternoon. When using the specific indicators for a.m. or p.m. in a sentence, remember that the Japanese indicator is placed before the specific time, whereas in English it is often placed after.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is constructed from two parts: 午前, which means "a.m." and is composed of the characters for "before" and "noon", and 午後, which means "p.m." and is composed of the characters for "after" and "noon".
How do you pronounce it?
Gozen ka gogo
Did you know?
- The character 午 in both 午前 and 午後 represents the 'Horse' in the Chinese zodiac, as the horse is associated with the peak of the sun's power at midday.
- While the phrase uses noon as a reference point, the term 午前 can include the very early hours of a day, such as 1:00 午前, which is actually in the middle of the night.
- In Japan, people often use the 24-hour clock for official schedules, such as train stations or television listings, to avoid any confusion between 午前 and 午後.
Examples in context
- 午前10時10 AM
- 午後7時7 PM
- 朝9時9 AM
- 夕方6時6 PM
- 午前か午後か教えてください。gozen ka gogo ka oshiete kudasai.Please tell me if it is am or pm.
- 会議は午前か午後か分かりません。kaigi wa gozen ka gogo ka wakarimasen.I don't know if the meeting is am or pm.
- 午前か午後か確認する必要があります。gozen ka gogo ka kakunin suru hitsuyou ga arimasu.It is necessary to confirm if it is am or pm.
Example conversation
Ren asks Yui about a scheduled appointment.
- 蓮 Ren明日の予約は午前か午後か分かりますか？ashita no yoyaku wa gozen ka gogo ka wakarimasu ka?Do you know if tomorrow's appointment is am or pm?
- 結衣 Yuiええと、午前か午後か確認してみますね。eeto, gozen ka gogo ka kakunin shite mimasu ne.Let me check if it is am or pm.
- 蓮 Renお願いします、結衣さん。onegai shimasu, Yui-san.Please do, Yui.
- 結衣 Yui午前の予定でしたよ。gozen no yotei deshita yo.It was an am appointment.
