黄昏
tasogare[ta̠so̞ɡa̠ɾe̞]
The English word 'twilight' can be translated into Japanese as 黄昏 (tasogare). Wiktionary also lists 夕暮れ (yūgure).
Meaning: light before rising and after the setting of the Sun (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 黄昏 | tasogare | [ta̠so̞ɡa̠ɾe̞] (narrow) [ko̞ːkõ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 夕暮れ | yūgure | [jɯ̟ːɡɯ̟ɾe̞] (narrow) |
The term refers to the light present before sunrise and after sunset. 黄昏 can also be used metaphorically to describe the final stages or the decline of something, such as the end of an era or a person's later years.
Which one should you use?
夕暮れ is the more common, everyday term used to describe dusk or the time when the sun is setting. In contrast, 黄昏 is a more poetic or literary term used to evoke a specific mood or used within literature.
How does it change in a sentence?
By adding 時 (meaning 'time') to 黄昏, you create the phrase 黄昏時, which specifically refers to the 'twilight hour'.
How do you pronounce it?
tasogare
Did you know?
- In Japanese folklore, the 黄昏時 or 'twilight hour' is often seen as a supernatural threshold where the boundary between the human and spirit worlds thins.
- The word 黄昏 (tasogare) likely comes from the phrase 誰そ彼 (tasokare), which literally translates to 'Who is that?'
- The concept of twilight in Japanese often evokes mono no aware, a bittersweet awareness of the transience of all things.
Examples in context
- 黄昏時が大好きでね。I love twilight.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal preference for the twilight hour using 黄昏.Tatoeba #9824186 by small_snow, translation #2730472 by AlanF_US
- 神々の黄昏Götterdämmerung, twilight of the godsThis sentence shows the use of 黄昏 in a grand, mythological context.
- 黄昏の空はとても美しい。tasogare no sora wa totemo utsukushii.The twilight sky is very beautiful.
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are walking home together at dusk.
- 蓮 Renもうすぐ黄昏だね。mousugu tasogare da ne.It's almost twilight, isn't it?
- 結衣 Yui本当。空の色が変わってきたね。hontou. sora no iro ga kawatte kita ne.True. The color of the sky has started to change.
- 蓮 Renこの時間が一番好きだよ。kono jikan ga ichiban suki da yo.I like this time of day the best.
- 結衣 Yui私も。とても落ち着くよね。watashi mo. totemo ochitsuku yo ne.Me too. It's very calming.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twilight” translations and entries 黄昏, 夕暮れ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 夕暮れ, 黄昏, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
