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March 24, 2026
晝zhòu(zhou4)
The character 晝 (zhòu) refers to 'daytime' or 'daylight,' specifically the period of time when the sun is up and it is bright outside. It is often used in literary contexts and can be found in phrases related to daytime activities or contrasts with nighttime (夜, yè).
Strokes11Radical日Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of day and night plays a significant role in farming and daily life. The idea of 'daytime' is often associated with productivity, as many activities are planned around daylight hours.
Memory Tip
Imagine a bright sun (日) shining during the day (晝). The character combines the sun with a symbol of brightness, reminding you that during 晝, the world is illuminated. Think of 'zhòu' as 'shining through' the day.
Meanings of 晝
zhòu(zhou4)
1daytime, daylight
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 晝
晝Simplified
11Strokes
日Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 晝
Podcast: 晝
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AI Study Notes for 晝
Quick Contrast
昼 (zhì) vs 晝 (zhòu) — use 晝 (zhòu) for a more literary or formal context, while 昼 (zhì) is more common in everyday speech.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a bright sun (日) shining during the day (晝). The character combines the sun with a symbol of brightness, reminding you that during 晝, the world is illuminated. Think of 'zhòu' as 'shining through' the day.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 晝 with 夜 (night), so remember that 晝 specifically means daytime. It is more formal than using the word 日 (day) in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 晝夜 (day and night) and 白晝 (broad daylight).
HSK Study Tips
Although 晝 is not part of the official HSK levels, it connects to vocabulary related to time and nature, which you will encounter in HSK Level 3 and above. Focus on recognizing it in literary texts and understanding its usage in contrast with 夜.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of day and night plays a significant role in farming and daily life. The idea of 'daytime' is often associated with productivity, as many activities are planned around daylight hours.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes mix up 晝 with 日, mistakenly using 晝 in casual contexts. For example, saying '我今天有很多事情在晝' (I have many things to do in the daytime) is overly formal; use '日' instead: '我今天有很多事情在日.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 晝
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Cultural Notes for 晝
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of day and night plays a significant role in farming and daily life. The idea of 'daytime' is often associated with productivity, as many activities are planned around daylight hours.
Word Family of 晝
Words Containing This Character8
昼夜zhòuyèday and night晝夜
白昼daytime白晝
昼zhòudaytime晝
不分昼夜day and night不分晝夜
昼伏夜出nocturnal晝伏夜出
夜行昼伏to travel at night and lie low by day (idiom)夜行晝伏
俾昼作夜to make day as night (idiom, from Book of Songs); fig. to prolong one's pleasure regardless of the hour俾晝作夜
俾夜作昼work especially hard俾夜作晝
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 昼夜 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 晝
The pronunciation is 'zhòu,' with a falling tone.
It is more commonly found in literary contexts; you might use 日 (day) instead for daily conversation.
