夕方・夕がた|ゆうがたyuugata[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, adverbearly evening (usu. from 3pm to 6pm); dusk
   ひょっとすると夕方ゆうがた前まえに雨あめになるかもしれない。↗

   It might rain before evening.

• Synonym夕暮れゆうぐれNeutralRefers to the time when the sky darkens and the view turns dusky; it stresses the scenery, while 「夕方」 stresses the time of day.
• Synonym夕刻ゆうこくWrittenWritten/formal prose for the evening hours, common in news and announcements, as in 「本日夕刻」.
• Synonym黄昏たそがれWrittenMeans dusk, and by extension the twilight of one's life, with a wistful tinge, as in 「人生の黄昏」.
• SynonymイブニングCasualA loanword used mostly in compounds like 「イブニングドレス」; seldom on its own.
• Synonym晩ばんNeutralThe evening after dark, later than 「夕方」, as in 「晩ご飯」.
• Synonym暮れくれNeutralMeans dusk, and also the year's end, as in 「暮れの大掃除」; often seen in compounds.
• Synonym夕ゆうNeutralThe same word as 「夕べ」 above; 「夕」 is merely another spelling, not a separate synonym.
• Synonym夕まぐれゆうまぐれWrittenA literary written word for the twilight after sunset, when the sky still holds light.
• Synonym逢魔が時おうまがときWrittenLegendary twilight when one might meet yokai; it carries a mysterious air and turns up mostly in fiction and anime.
• Synonym薄暮はくぼWrittenA Sino-Japanese word for the gathering dusk, at home in written prose, as in 「薄暮の街」.
• Synonym火灯し頃ひともしごろNeutralA quaint old term for lamp-lighting time, when darkness has just fallen; it has a nostalgic feel.
• Synonym薄暮れうすぐれWrittenA written word for the dimness after sunset; very rarely used.
• Synonym大禍時おおまがときWrittenAn archaic term for the twilight believed to invite mishaps, of the same origin as 「逢魔が時」.
• Synonym夕景ゆうけいWrittenCovers the evening scenery or the evening hour itself; mostly used in landscape description.
• Related日暮れひぐれNeutralThe time when the sun is about to set and the sky darkens; it centers on the moments around sunset.
• Related日没にちぼつWrittenA Sino-Japanese word for the sun going down, used in astronomy and weather, as in 「日没時刻」.
• Related日の入りひのいりNeutralThe moment the sun sets, common in weather forecasts; the counterpart of 「日の出」.
• Related入相いりあいWrittenAn archaic word for sunset, seen in 「入相の鐘」; little used today.
• Related暮れ方くれがたWrittenA written word for the dusk hours, often found in literary description.
• Related夕べゆうべNeutralCovers the stretch from sunset into the night, and can also mean last night; it has a literary flavor.
• Related入り方いりがたWrittenA written word for when the sun or moon goes down; very rarely used.
• RelatedサンセットCasualA loanword for the sunset, often in shop or song titles, with a romantic feel.
• Related晩方ばんがたWrittenA written word for the approach of evening; it sounds old-fashioned and is not much used.
• Antonym朝方あさがたNeutralThe antonym of 「夕方」: the early-morning hours.

Use 「夕方」 for the early-evening hours by default. For the darkening scenery pick 「夕暮れ」; in news or announcements 「夕刻」; for the moment the sun sets 「日の入り」 or 「日没」; for one's later years 「黄昏」; after dark 「晩」; the morning counterpart is 「朝方」. The rest are literary, archaic or loanword variants: 「夕まぐれ」, 「薄暮」, 「夕景」 and 「暮れ方」 suit prose; 「逢魔が時」 and 「大禍時」 are eerie and old; 「サンセット」 and 「イブニング」 are loanwords; 「薄暮れ」, 「入り方」 and 「晩方」 are rare.

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

1. 日の入ひのいり前後ぜんごの時間帯じかんたい。