Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Night" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "night", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
よる
よる (yoru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
百鬼夜行
ひゃっきやこう (hyakkiyakō)
N1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "night" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between よる and 百鬼夜行.
In Japanese, よる (よる (yoru)) is typically associated with "night" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Refers to the time from evening till morning. Often used with specific times or actions at night..
On the other hand, 百鬼夜行 (ひゃっきやこう (hyakkiyakō)) maps to "night parade of one hundred demons/monsters; (metaphorical) a chaotic, unruly, or suspicious gathering of many people." (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents Literally refers to a procession of yokai, but often used metaphorically to describe a chaotic, bewildering, or suspicious gathering of many strange people, sometimes with negative implications.. A literal translation of "night" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "よる"
毎晩、夜に本を読みます。
Every evening, I read a book at night.
Bilingual Context for "百鬼夜行"
夜の繁華街は、まるで百鬼夜行のようだった。
The downtown at night was like a night parade of a hundred demons.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "毎晩、夜に本を読みます。" (Meaning: "Every evening, I read a book at night.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "よる" fits here because it means "night" in the context of: "Every evening, I read a book at night.". "百鬼夜行" represents "night parade of one hundred demons/monsters; (metaphorical) a chaotic, unruly, or suspicious gathering of many people.".