Translation guide
The phrase 'dead of night' refers to the darkest, quietest, and most still part of the night, typically around midnight or the early hours. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through specific time-related nouns and descriptive phrases that emphasize the depth and stillness of the night.
To refer to the time period in the middle of the night when it is darkest and most quiet, often with a nuance of stillness or eeriness.
Literally 'true middle of the night'. This is the most common and neutral way to say 'midnight' or 'the dead of night'. It refers to the time around 12 AM, but can also imply the deep, quiet hours.
真夜中に電話が鳴った。
The phone rang in the dead of night.
真夜中の静けさが好きだ。
I like the stillness of the dead of night.
Means 'late night' or 'the wee hours'. It covers a broader range than 真夜中, from late evening to early morning, but is often used in contexts like 'late-night TV' or 'working late into the night'. It can convey the sense of the dead of night when combined with descriptive words.
A more general term for 'during the night' or 'the middle of the night'. It is less specific than 真夜中 but can be used in casual conversation to mean the dead of night.
Literally 'the silence of the night'. This phrase emphasizes the quietness and stillness associated with the dead of night, often used in literary or poetic contexts.
夜の静寂に包まれて、物音一つしなかった。
Enveloped in the dead of night, there wasn't a single sound.
真夜中 specifically refers to the middle of the night (around midnight), while 深夜 covers a broader range of late-night hours. For the 'dead of night' nuance of deepest darkness and stillness, 真夜中 is often more appropriate.
彼は真夜中に散歩に出かけた。
He went for a walk in the dead of night.
真夜中は星を見るのに一番いい時間だ。
The dead of night is the best time for stargazing.
I stayed up until the dead of night.
深夜の街は人通りが少ない。
The streets are empty in the dead of night.
夜中に目が覚めた。
I woke up in the dead of night.