What you will learn on this page
- The basic meaning and usage of 「午」
- JLPT level and stroke count
- The main reading: ゴ (go)
- Common words: 午前 (a.m.), 午後 (p.m.), 正午 (noon)
- Example sentences with kana and natural English translations
1. Basic info
- Kanji: 午
- Meaning (simple): used for a.m./p.m. (noon-based time)
- JLPT level: N5
- Stroke count: 4
- On-yomi: ゴ (go)
- Kun-yomi: (rarely used alone)
2. Easy explanation (for beginners)
「午」 is mainly used in these two words:
- 午前 (ごぜん) = a.m. (before noon)
- 午後 (ごご) = p.m. (after noon)
It is rarely used alone in everyday Japanese.
3. Example vocabulary list
| Word | Reading | Meaning (English) |
|---|---|---|
| 午前 | ごぜん | a.m. |
| 午後 | ごご | p.m. |
| 正午 | しょうご | noon |
| 午前中 | ごぜんちゅう | during the morning |
| 午後から | ごごから | from the afternoon |
4. Example sentences
Sentence 1
- Japanese: 午前9時に起きます。
- Reading (Kana): ごぜん くじに おきます。
- English: I wake up at 9 a.m.
Sentence 2
- Japanese: 午後2時に会いましょう。
- Reading (Kana): ごご にじに あいましょう。
- English: Let’s meet at 2 p.m.
Sentence 3
- Japanese: 正午に昼ごはんを食べます。
- Reading (Kana): しょうごに ひるごはんを たべます。
- English: I eat lunch at noon.
5. Tips
Learn 午前 and 午後 as a fixed pair.