When you're talking about the time of day in Japanese, one important word to know is ばん (ban). This word means evening.
It's generally used to refer to the period from sunset until bedtime. So, if you want to say 'Good evening,' you'd use a greeting that incorporates 'ban'.
While similar to 'よる (yoru),' which also means night, 'ban' often implies the earlier part of the evening when people are still active, perhaps having dinner or relaxing after work.
You'll hear it frequently in daily conversation when discussing evening plans or activities. Mastering 'ban' helps you talk about your schedule and understand when things are happening.
When talking about time in Japanese, you'll often hear 「ばん」 (ban), which means 'evening'. It's a straightforward word that refers to the later part of the day, after afternoon and before night.
You can use 「ばん」 to specify when something happens, like 「こんばん」 (konban) for 'this evening' or 「まいばん」 (maiban) for 'every evening'.
It's an essential word for daily conversations, helping you to plan and discuss activities that take place as the day winds down.
When talking about time in Japanese, there are a few words for 'evening'. The most common is ばん (ban). It refers to the general period of evening, from sunset until you go to bed. You'll often hear it combined with other words, like こんばん (konban) for 'tonight' or 毎晩 (maiban) for 'every evening'.
Another word you might encounter is ゆうがた (yuugata), which specifically means 'late afternoon' or 'early evening', often before it gets completely dark. So, while both relate to the evening, ばん covers a broader, later period than ゆうがた.
§ What does ばん (ban) mean and when do people use it?
Let's talk about ばん (ban). It's a straightforward Japanese word that means "evening." You'll hear and use this word a lot, especially when talking about times of day, making plans, or just describing when something happens. It's one of those essential words you need to know early on in your Japanese learning journey, sitting comfortably at the A2 CEFR level.
- DEFINITION
- Evening.
So, when exactly is "evening" in Japan? Generally, ばん (ban) refers to the period from late afternoon through night, after the sun has set or is setting, and before midnight. It's a broad term, but it usually implies the time when people are finishing work, heading home, having dinner, or relaxing for the night. Think of it as your typical evening hours in English, roughly from around 5 PM or 6 PM until late at night.
You'll often find ばん (ban) used in everyday conversations. It's common for greeting people, making suggestions, or simply stating when an event occurs. For instance, if you're meeting someone, you might specify the evening. If you're talking about something you did yesterday, you might mention you did it last evening. It's a fundamental time indicator.
今日のばんは何をしますか？ (Kyou no ban wa nani o shimasu ka?) - What are you doing this evening?
This is a very common question you'll hear. It's a casual way to ask about someone's plans for the evening. Notice how ばん (ban) slots right in there.
ばん、映画を見ました。 (Sakuno ban, eiga o mimashita.) - I watched a movie last evening.
Here, it refers to a specific evening in the past. It's a simple, direct way to convey the timing of an action.
It's also important to note that ばん (ban) is a standalone noun. You can attach particles like に (ni) to it to specify a time, such as ばんに (ban ni - in the evening), or combine it with other words to form more specific time phrases. We'll look at those more in other sections. For now, just focus on its core meaning and usage.
In Japanese culture, the evening often signifies a time for unwinding, family time, or social activities. Understanding ばん (ban) helps you grasp these daily rhythms. When you hear someone ask about plans for ばん (ban), they're typically inquiring about dinner plans, relaxing at home, or going out with friends. It's a central part of daily communication in Japan.
Keep an ear out for ばん (ban) in Japanese dramas, anime, or when listening to native speakers. You'll quickly notice how frequently it appears. It's not a formal word, nor is it overly casual; it's just the standard term for "evening." Mastering its use will make your conversations much more natural and precise.
To summarize, ばん (ban) is your go-to word for "evening" in Japanese. It covers the period from late afternoon until late night, after sunset. It's used for general conversations about daily schedules and past or future events. Don't overthink it; just use it whenever you'd say "evening" in English, and you'll be on the right track.
- ばん (ban): Evening
- 今日のばん (kyou no ban): This evening
- 昨のばん (sakuno ban): Last evening
These are some basic phrases to get you started. Practice using them, and you'll find ばん (ban) quickly becomes a natural part of your Japanese vocabulary.
स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण
昨日の夜は友達と飲みに行った。
Last night I went drinking with friends.
〜の夜 (no yoru): 'last night' or 'the night of...'
毎晩、寝る前に本を読みます。
I read a book every evening before going to bed.
毎晩 (maiban): 'every evening'
今晩の夕食は何にしますか？
What will we have for dinner this evening?
今晩 (konban): 'this evening'
週末の晩はいつも外食します。
I always eat out on weekend evenings.
週末の晩 (shūmatsu no ban): 'weekend evenings'
その晩はとても寒かったのを覚えています。
I remember that evening was very cold.
その晩 (sono ban): 'that evening'
明日の晩、一緒に映画を見に行きませんか？
Would you like to go see a movie together tomorrow evening?
明日の晩 (ashita no ban): 'tomorrow evening'
晩ごはんの時間だよ。
It's dinner time.
晩ごはん (ban gohan): 'dinner' (more casual than 夕食 yūshoku)
遅い晩まで仕事をしていました。
I was working until late in the evening.
遅い晩 (osoi ban): 'late evening'
सामान्य शब्द संयोजन
सामान्य वाक्यांश
今晩、暇ですか？
Are you free this evening?
毎晩、日本語を勉強します。
I study Japanese every evening.
昨晩、よく寝ました。
I slept well last evening.
晩ごはんを食べに行きましょう。
Let's go eat dinner.
今晩、雨が降るでしょう。
It will probably rain this evening.
彼は晩年に成功した。
He succeeded in his later years.
今晩中に仕事を終えます。
I will finish the work by this evening.
晩方には涼しくなります。
It gets cool in the evening.
晩酌が楽しみです。
I look forward to my evening drink.
晩秋の紅葉は美しい。
The autumn leaves in late autumn are beautiful.
शब्द परिवार
संज्ञा
खुद को परखो 36 सवाल
今日の___、友達と映画を見に行きます。(Today, I'm going to watch a movie with my friend in the ___.)
The context implies 'evening' as a time to go to the movies. 'ばん' refers to the evening.
毎___、犬と散歩するのが好きです。(I like walking my dog every ___.)
Walking a dog is a common evening activity. '毎晩' means 'every evening'.
遅い___まで仕事をしていました。(I was working until late ___.)
'遅い晩' means 'late evening'.
このレストランは___しか開いていません。(This restaurant is only open in the ___.)
Many restaurants are open primarily in the evening. '晩' is the most suitable word here.
明日の___、パーティーがあります。(There's a party tomorrow ___.)
Parties are typically held in the evening. '明日の晩' means 'tomorrow evening'.
昨日の___はとても寒かったですね。(Last ___ was very cold, wasn't it?)
The weather is often colder in the evening. '昨日の晩' means 'last evening'.
Write a short sentence describing an evening activity you enjoy, using the word 'ばん'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
わたしはばんごはんをたべるのがすきです。 (I like eating dinner in the evening.)
Imagine you are making plans with a friend. Write a sentence suggesting to meet in the evening, using 'ばん'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
こんばん、いっしょにえいがをみませんか。 (How about watching a movie together this evening?)
Describe something you usually do in the evening using 'ばん'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
わたしはまいばんほんをよみます。 (I read a book every evening.)
いつレストランにいきましたか？
Read this passage:
きのうのばん、ともだちとレストランにいきました。おいしいりょうりをたべました。たのしいじかんでした。
いつレストランにいきましたか？
The passage states 'きのうのばん', which means 'last evening'.
The passage states 'きのうのばん', which means 'last evening'.
なにをみたいですか？
Read this passage:
このばん、あたらしいテレビドラマがあります。とてもおもしろそうですから、ぜひみたいです。
なにをみたいですか？
The passage says 'あたらしいテレビドラマがあります' and 'ぜひみたいです'.
The passage says 'あたらしいテレビドラマがあります' and 'ぜひみたいです'.
この人はまいばん何をしますか？
Read this passage:
しごとがおわったあと、まいばんジムへいきます。うんどうして、リラックスします。
この人はまいばん何をしますか？
The passage explicitly states 'まいばんジムへいきます'.
The passage explicitly states 'まいばんジムへいきます'.
昨日の___はとても寒かったですね。 (The ___ of yesterday was very cold, wasn't it?)
「ばん」 (ban) refers to the evening, making it the most suitable word for the context of 'yesterday evening was very cold.'
私たちは毎週金曜日の___に、一緒に映画を見に行きます。 (We go to see a movie together every Friday ___.)
「ばん」 (ban) is used to indicate the evening, fitting the phrase 'every Friday evening.'
今日の___は、何を食べるか決めましたか？ (Have you decided what to eat for dinner ___?)
「ばん」 (ban) correctly completes the phrase 'tonight's dinner.'
彼はいつも仕事の___に、ジムで運動します。 (He always exercises at the gym in the ___ after work.)
「ばん」 (ban) indicates the evening, making 'in the evening after work' the correct interpretation.
日本の夏は、___になっても蒸し暑いことが多いです。 (Japanese summers are often hot and humid even in the ___.)
「ばん」 (ban) fits the context of 'even in the evening' for Japanese summers.
明日の___に、友達と会う約束があります。 (I have a promise to meet a friend tomorrow ___.)
「ばん」 (ban) completes the phrase 'tomorrow evening' for meeting a friend.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 昨日の___、友達と映画を観に行きました。
The sentence is about going to watch a movie with a friend 'yesterday evening'. 'ばん' (evening) fits the context best. 'ひる' is midday, 'あさ' is morning, and 'よる' is night, which can be a broader term than 'evening'.
Which sentence correctly uses 'ばん' to refer to a specific evening?
'きのうのばん' (yesterday evening) specifies a particular evening. 'このばん' is less common for 'this evening' (usually けさ or こんばん). 'ばんごはん' is dinner, and 'まいにちばん' is 'every evening', which is a general statement, not a specific one.
Select the correct translation for 'I will study this evening.'
'こんばん' is the standard way to say 'this evening' or 'tonight'. While 'このばん' is grammatically understandable, it's not the natural or common expression. 'あさばん' means morning and evening, and 'ひるばん' is not a common expression.
「ばんごはん」 refers to a meal eaten in the evening.
「ばんごはん」 (bangohan) literally means 'evening meal' or 'dinner'.
「まいにちばん」 means 'every morning'.
「まいにちばん」 (mainichi ban) means 'every evening'. 'Every morning' would be 「まいにちあさ」 (mainichi asa).
In Japan, 'ばん' generally refers to the period between late afternoon and night.
'ばん' typically refers to the evening, which is the latter part of the day, after afternoon and before night.
This sentence means 'Meeting him is scheduled for this evening.' The order follows a common Japanese sentence structure.
This sentence means 'I feel good because I slept well last night.' '昨晩は' sets the time, followed by the action and its result.
This sentence means 'I have a habit of reading a book every evening before going to bed.' '毎晩' establishes a regular action.
今日の___は冷え込むらしい。外出の際は暖かい格好をしてくださいね。
文脈から、日中の時間帯ではなく、日が暮れた後の時間帯を指す言葉が適切です。「晩」は「夕方から夜にかけての時間」を意味します。
毎___、ジョギングをしています。健康維持に努めています。
「毎晩」で「毎日の夕方から夜にかけて」という意味になります。ジョギングは一般的に早朝か夕方以降に行われることが多い活動です。
彼とは先週の金曜日の___、偶然バーで会いました。
バーで会うのは通常、夕方以降の時間帯なので、「晩」が最も適切です。
仕事が終わってから、仲間と___御飯を食べに行くのが私の楽しみです。
「晩御飯」は「夕食」を意味します。仕事が終わってから食べるのは夕食なので「晩」が適切です。
今夜のテレビ番組は、私の好きなドラマの最終回です。___が待ち遠しいです。
「晩」は「夕方から夜にかけての時間」を指し、テレビ番組の最終回を見るのはこの時間帯が一般的です。「夜」も意味は通じますが、「晩」の方がより口語的で自然な響きがあります。
休日の___は、ゆっくりと映画を観て過ごすことが多いです。
休日の映画鑑賞は、夕食後など夜の時間帯に行われることが多いため、「晩」が適切です。
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
उदाहरण
今晩、映画に行きませんか？
संबंधित सामग्री
यह शब्द अन्य भाषाओं में
संबंधित मुहावरे
daily_life के और शब्द
もう少し
B1A little more.
じゅうしょ
A2The particulars of the place where someone lives.
住所
A2address, residence
～後
A2after
目覚まし
B1Alarm clock. A clock that makes a noise to wake someone up.
目覚まし時計
B1An alarm clock.
ひとりで
A2Alone.
~のに
B1Even though; despite (particle/conjunction).
ごぜん
A2Morning (a.m.).
煩い
B1Noisy; annoying.
