日
hi[ɲ̟it͡ɕi]
The English word 'day' is translated into Japanese as 日 (hi) or 一日.
Meaning: period of 24 hours (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 日 | hi | [ɲ̟it͡ɕi] (narrow) [çi] (narrow) |
| 一日 | ichinichi | [t͡sɨita̠t͡ɕi] (narrow) [it͡ɕiɲ̟it͡ɕi] (narrow) |
The word refers to a period of 24 hours. The character 日 can be used as a counter when counting specific dates, although the pronunciation of the character will change depending on the number it is paired with. It can also refer to the sun.
Which one should you use?
日 (hi) is typically used to refer to the sun or to identify a specific day, while 一日 (ichinichi) is used to refer to the duration of a full, 24-hour period.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to express the duration of a single 24-hour period, use the form 一日 (ichinichi).
How do you pronounce it?
hi
Did you know?
- The word for the first day of the month, 一日 (tsuitachi), originally meant 'the moon is standing', referring to the appearance of the new moon.
Examples in context
- 今日は暑い。It's a hot day.This sentence shows how to use 日 in the context of the current weather.Tatoeba #171593 by bunbuku, translation #3737105 by CK
- 良い１日を！Have a nice day.This sentence shows how to use 日 to wish someone a good day.Tatoeba #192929 by small_snow, translation #30085 by CK
- 日が暮れた。The day became night.This sentence shows how to use 日 to describe the transition from day to night.Tatoeba #11924192 by small_snow, translation #11844242 by ddnktr
- 明日は一日中忙しいです。I will be busy all day tomorrow.
- 今日はいい日ですね。Today is a good day, isn't it?
- 日曜日に友達とピクニックに行きます。I'm going on a picnic with my friends on Sunday.
- 1695 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are discussing a trip they are planning.
- 蓮 Ren三日あれば十分だと思います。mikka areba juubun da to omoimasu.I think three days will be enough.
- 陽葵 Himariそれなら、一日だけ予定を変えましょう。sorenara, ichinichi dake yotei o kaemashou.In that case, let's change the schedule for just one day.
- 蓮 Renどの日がいいですか？dono hi ga ii desu ka?Which day would be good?
- 陽葵 Himari最終日のままで大丈夫です。saishubi no mama de daijoubu desu.The last day is fine as it is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “day” translations and entries 日, 一日, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 一日, 日, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
