日没
nichibotsu[ɲ̟it͡ɕibo̞t͡sɨ]
In Japanese, sundown is 日没 (nichibotsu).
日没 refers to the specific time in the evening when the sun disappears below the horizon. Other ways to express related concepts include 夕暮れの時間 for the time of sundown, 黄昏時 for twilight time and 日没時刻 to specify the exact sunset time often found in weather reports or official schedules.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 日没 is composed of the kanji 日, meaning sun and 没, meaning sink or submerge.
Which one should you use?
While 日没 refers to the specific moment the sun disappears, the term 夕焼け is used to describe the colorful sunset glow in the sky.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
日没 is a formal, technical or journalistic term used to describe the astronomical event of sunset.
How do you pronounce it?
nichibotsu
Did you know?
- The term 黄昏時 for twilight is often associated with 'the hour of ghosts' in Japanese folklore, as it is the time when the boundary between the human world and the spirit world becomes blurred.
- The kanji 没 in 日没 can also be used to describe a ship sinking or a person drowning.
- The kanji 没 in 日没 is shared with the word 没後, which refers to the time that has passed since a person's death.
Examples in context
- 黄昏は大自然の美しい瞬間です。Sundown is a beautiful moment in nature.
- 今日の夕暮れは本当にきれいだったね。Today's sundown was truly beautiful, wasn't it?
- 夕方になると、海での日没が一番綺麗だよ。When evening comes, the sunset by the sea is the most beautiful.
- 夕暮れの空が美しいですね。オレンジ色に輝いています。The evening sky is beautiful. It's shining with an orange glow.
- 日没がとても早くなりました。Nichimotsu ga totemo hayaku narimashita.Sundown has become very early.
- 日没まであと少しです。Nichimotsu made ato sukoshi desu.There is a little time left until sundown.
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are hiking and watching the sky.
- 健太 Kenta日没が近いね。Nichimotsu ga chikai ne.Sundown is near.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に。景色が綺麗だよ。Hontou ni. Keshiki ga kirei da yo.Really. The view is beautiful.
- 健太 Kenta美咲、そろそろ帰りましょう。Misaki, sorosoro kaerimashou.Misaki, let's head back soon.
- 美咲 Misakiそうだね、帰りましょう。Sou da ne, kaerimashou.You're right, let's go home.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 日没, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
