夜晚 (yè wǎn) — night | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

夜晚 (yèwǎn) is a more formal, written-style word for 'night.' Use it like 晚上 in everyday speech, but pick 晚上 for casual talk.

noun

night

Measure word · 个

夜晚。
Xià tiān yè wǎn hěn rè.
Summer nights are very hot.
夜晚。
Wǒ yè wǎn xué zhōng wén.
I study Chinese at night.
夜晚。
Zuó tiān yè wǎn de chéng shì hěn rè nao.
The city was very lively last night.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

夜 (night) and 晚 (evening) combine to refer to the night.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

夕夕xīmoon

Sound part声符shēngfú

亦

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 夜 pairs 亦 as a sound part with 夕 as a moon part, for night. In the modern shape, the 亦 part is broken up and one stroke merges into 夕.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

日免晚

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

免

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

晚 pairs 日, the sun part, with 免, which supplies the sound.

Appears in