朝
asa[a̠sa̠]
In Japanese, "morning" is expressed as 朝 (asa). If unsure, use 朝. Wiktionary also lists 午前 (gozen).
Meaning: part of the day between dawn and midday (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 朝 | asa | [a̠sa̠] (narrow) [a̠ɕita̠] (narrow) |
| 午前 | gozen | [ɡo̞zẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
The term refers to the part of the day between dawn and midday. You can see this concept applied in the word for breakfast, 朝食, which combines the word for morning with the character for food or eating.
Which one should you use?
While 朝 refers generally to the time of day known as the morning, 午前 is used to specify a.m. or the morning period in technical or formal contexts, such as in timekeeping.
How do you pronounce it?
asa
Did you know?
- The character used for 朝 is the same one used to write the name of the country 'Korea' in Japanese.
- In Japanese, the concept of 'late' in the night is described using the word for 'deep', as seen in the term 夜更け (yofuke).
Examples in context
- もう朝なの？Is it morning already?This sentence uses 朝 to ask if it is already morning.Tatoeba #8719697 by bunbuku, translation #3417570 by CK
- 朝の八時です。It's eight o'clock in the morning.This sentence uses 朝 to specify a time in the morning.Tatoeba #126233 by bunbuku, translation #277759 by CK
- あなたは朝型？Would you say you're a morning person?This sentence uses 朝 to ask if someone is a morning person.Tatoeba #231724 by bunbuku, translation #69091 by CM
- 891 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is talking in their kitchen while having breakfast.
- 陽葵 Himari今日はいい朝ですね。Kyō wa ii asa desu ne.It is a beautiful morning today, isn't it?
- 健太 Kenta本当ですね。陽葵さんの作る朝ご飯は最高です。Hontō desu ne. Himari-san no tsukuru asagohan wa saikō desu.It really is. The breakfast you make, Himari, is the best.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さんも、もっと早く起きてくださいね。Kenta-san mo, motto hayaku okite kudasai ne.Kenta, please try to wake up earlier too.
- 健太 Kentaわかっています。明日から頑張ります。Wakatte imasu. Ashita kara ganbarimasu.I know. I will try my best starting tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “morning” translations and entries 朝, 午前, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 午前, 朝, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
