暁・曉|あかつきakatsuki[0]heiban (flat)

Common
あかときakatokiok
Which spelling to use
暁暁 is the more common kanji-only spelling; beginners should use it when writing this word.
曉曉 is a less common kanji-only variant written with an outdated kanji; beginners should choose 暁 instead.
Definitions
  1. noundawn; daybreak
  2. nounevent (e.g. "in the event of ..."); occasion; occurrenceusu. as 〜の暁に
    Once elected, I will do my best for all of you who supported me.
Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym曙あけぼのWrittenWritten word for when dawn begins to break, shortly before sunrise; also a beginning, as in 「時代の曙」. 「暁」 also serves in 「〜の暁には」 for the moment of achievement.
  • Synonym黎明れいめいWrittenWritten word for dawn, or for the dawn of a new age; 「暁」 centers on the moment around daybreak itself.
  • Synonym明け方あけがたNeutralNeutral word for the time when dawn is about to break; 「暁」 belongs to written prose.
  • Synonym払暁ふつぎょうFormalFormal word for daybreak; 「暁」 is the more elegant and more frequently used of the two.
  • Synonym明けあけNeutralNeutral word for daybreak that also covers the end of a period, as in 「休み明け」; 「暁」 centers on the dawn moment itself.
  • Synonym白白明けしらしらあけWrittenWritten word for the sky just turning pale at first light; 「暁」 is the more common of the two.
  • Synonym朝ぼらけあさぼらけWrittenWritten word for the faint glow of early dawn, seen mostly in waka poetry; 「暁」 is the more common choice.
  • Related夜明けよあけNeutralThe everyday, most common word for daybreak; 「暁」 belongs to written prose and also serves in 「〜の暁には」 for the moment something is achieved.
  • Related有明ありあけWrittenWritten word for dawn while the moon still lingers, especially after the 16th of the lunar month; 「暁」 does not emphasize the moon.
  • Related引明けひきあけWrittenArchaic written word for daybreak, rarely used today; say 「夜明け」 in daily speech. 「暁」 is a written word that can also mean the moment of achievement.
  • Related彼は誰時かわたれどきWrittenWritten, old-fashioned word for the dim hour of dawn when you cannot tell who anyone is; 「暁」 is more common.
  • Related暁天ぎょうてんWrittenWritten word for the dawn sky itself; 「暁」 points to the time of daybreak.
  • Related早暁そうぎょうFormalFormal word for the early hours around daybreak; 「暁」 is the more elegant term.
  • Related暁闇あかつきやみWrittenWritten word for a dark, moonless dawn; 「暁」 refers to dawn in general.
  • Related早天そうてんWrittenWritten word for the early morning before daybreak; 「暁」 is the more common word.
  • Antonym暮れくれNeutralNeutral word for sunset and dusk, the evening counterpart of 「暁」 in the day's cycle; it also means the end of the year.
  • Antonym夕方ゆうがたNeutralNeutral word for early evening, the opposite of 「暁」 within the day.
  • Antonym黄昏たそがれWrittenWritten word for dusk, the evening counterpart of 「暁」; it also evokes one's twilight years.

Use 「暁」 in written prose for dawn, or for the moment something is achieved, as in 「成功の暁には」. For daybreak in everyday speech, 「夜明け」 and 「明け方」 are the natural choices; for the dawn of a new age, use 「黎明」 or 「曙」. The evening opposites are 「夕方」 and 「黄昏」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 夜よるの明あける頃ころ。
  2. (あることがなしとげられた)そのとき。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

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