How to say "dawn" in Japanese

• 暁あかつきCommon
  nounA poetical word for the moment night turns to day. It suits poetry and literary prose rather than everyday talk, where 夜明け or 明け方 is the natural choice.
• 夜明けよあけJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe all-purpose word for dawn as the point when night ends and morning begins. Use it in everyday speech and writing whenever you simply mean daybreak.
  私は、突然とつぜん夜明よあけ前まえに起おこされた。↗

  I was woken up suddenly at dawn.
• 明け方あけがたJLPT N2approx.Common
  noun, adverbTreats dawn as a time of day: the hour or so around daybreak. Choose it when saying that something happens at that early-morning hour, as in reports or schedules.
  その事故じこは明け方あけがたに起おこった。↗

  The accident occurred at dawn.
• 曙あけぼのCommon
  nounA poetic word for the first faint light of dawn spreading in the east. It also means the beginning of something, so it fits figurative uses like 'the dawn of a new era'.
• 天明てんめいCommon
  nounA formal, literary-sounding word for daybreak. It is seldom the word you want in conversation; for everyday purposes 夜明け, or 明け方 for the time around dawn, is the natural choice.

Use 「夜明け」 for dawn in general and 「明け方」 for the time around daybreak; 暁 and 曙 are poetic words for first light (曙 also 'beginning'), while 天明 is a formal, bookish word you seldom need.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 暁あかつきdawn
• 夜明けよあけdawn
• 明け方あけがたdawn
• 曙あけぼのdawn
• 天明てんめいdawn
• 黎明れいめいdaybreak
• 明けあけdawn
• 有明ありあけdawn (esp. from the 16th day of the lunar month onward)
• 払暁ふつぎょうdawn
• 曙光しょこうdawn
• 暁天ぎょうてんdawn
• 朝明けあさあけdawn
• 黎明期れいめいきdawn (of a new era, civilization, etc.)
• 白白明けしらしらあけdawn
• 引明けひきあけdawn
• 夜明け方よあけがたdawn
• 昧爽まいそうdawn
• 東雲しののめdaybreak
• 早天そうてんearly morning
• 早暁そうぎょうdaybreak
• 明け初めるあけそめるto begin to grow light
• 嚆矢こうしstart (e.g. of a movement)
• 鶏鳴けいめいcockcrow
• 開けるあけるto dawn