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JLPT N48画 · 8 strokesradical 日grade 2freq #1234

bright, clear, light

On'yomi (音読み)

  • メイ
  • ミョウ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • あか.るい
  • あ.ける
  • あ.かり

Mnemonic

As the sun (日) rises and the moon (月) sets, the bright day (明) awakens the world with clarity and light.

About this kanji

The kanji 明 commonly means bright or clear and can be used both as a noun and a verb. In everyday language, it appears in words like 明日 (あした), which means tomorrow, emphasizing the idea of a new day. Another usage is 明ける (あける), a verb that means to dawn or to become bright, often associated with morning. You might also come across 明確 (めいかく), which means clear or definite, useful in both spoken and written contexts. A useful note about 明 is that it can convey both physical brightness, like light, and abstract brightness, like clarity of understanding.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 明日は晴れます。

    It will be sunny tomorrow.

Meanings across languages

English
bright, clear, light
Tiếng Việt
sáng, rõ, sáng tỏ
日本語
明るい, 明白
한국어
밝다
中文
明亮
id
terang
th
สว่าง
es
brillante
fr
clair
de
hell
pt
brilhante

Common compounds

  • 明日あしたtomorrow
  • 明けるあけるto dawn, to become daylight
  • 明確めいかくclear, definite

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