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当晚 (dàng wǎn) — that evening, that very evening

Definition

Refers to the evening of the day just mentioned, or that same evening. Pairs with 当天/当日 (that same day) as a time reference anchored to a stated event.

noun
that eveningthat very evening

Examples

  • 当晚。
    Tā men dàng wǎn jiù chū fā le.
    They set off that very evening.
  • 当晚。
    Wǒ dàng wǎn shuì dé hěn zǎo.
    I went to sleep very early that evening.
  • 当晚。
    dàng wǎn De tiān qì fēi cháng hǎo.
    The weather that evening was very good.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

当dāngthis/same
晚wǎnevening

当 points to the relevant time and 晚 means evening, giving that very evening.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
免
免miǎn晚wǎn
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.

Open 晚 →
Appears in
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