晨
morning, early
JLPTN1StatusJinmeiyōStrokes11
Readings
On'yomi
- シン
Kun'yomi
- あした
- とき
- あさ
Meaning
晨 centers on the early part of the day: morning, dawn, or the early hours. It conveys the idea of the sun rising and the start of daytime.
Most common words using 晨
Study
Etymology
晨 combines 日 (sun) and 辰, which here likely represents the early morning or the time when the sun appears. The exact historical role of 辰 is uncertain, but the character clearly expresses morning through the sun component.
Meaning mnemonic
The sun 日 rises above 辰, like the morning sun climbing over the horizon. Picture the early light spreading as the day begins.
Reading mnemonic
For シン, imagine the morning sun shining on a shiny new day: shiny -> シン, and the early light makes everything gleam.