暮
evening, twilight, season's end, livelihood, make a living, spend time
Readings
On'yomi
- ボ
Kun'yomi
- く.れる
- く.らす
Nanori
- ぐらし
- ぐれ
- ぽ
Meaning
暮 centers on the closing phase of a cycle: evening and twilight as the day ends, the end of a season, and by extension the way one spends or makes a living through the passing days.
Most common words using 暮
20 of 88- 暮らしくらしN3
(way of) life; lifestyle; living; life circumstances; livelihood; day-to-day life
- 暮らすくらすN4
to live (on, by, etc.); to lead a life; to get along; to get by
- 一人暮らしひとりぐらしN3
living by oneself; living alone
- 暮れくれN3
sunset; sundown; nightfall; dusk
- 夕暮れゆうぐれN1
evening; dusk; twilight
- 暮れるくれるN3
to get dark; to grow dark
- 野暮やぼN1
boorish; unsophisticated; unrefined; uncouth; tasteless; insensitive; thoughtless; dumb
- 明け暮れあけくれ
morning and evening; daily routine
- 日暮れひぐれN1
twilight; sunset; dusk; evening
- 歳暮せいぼ
year-end gift
- 明け暮れるあけくれる
to spend all one's time doing; to do day in, day out; to do nothing but ...; to be absorbed (in)
- 野暮ったいやぼったい
unfashionable; uncouth; unrefined; unpolished; unsophisticated
- 年の暮れとしのくれN3
year end
- 薄暮はくぼ
dusk; nightfall; twilight
- お歳暮おせいぼN1
year-end gift
- 暮らし向きくらしむき
life circumstances; lifestyle; (family) finances
- 朝令暮改ちょうれいぼかい
an unsettled course of action; (orders or laws) being revised often with no guiding principles
- 夕暮れ時ゆうぐれどきN2
time around sunset; early evening
- 暮らし振りくらしぶりN2
lifestyle; way of life
- かき暮れるかきくれる
to weep bitterly
Study
Etymology
暮 combines 莫 (originally depicting the sun setting behind vegetation) with 日 (sun) to reinforce the idea of evening or dusk. The livelihood meanings likely developed from the notion of passing one's days.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 莫 looks like the sun sinking into thick grass, and the bottom 日 is another sun. Picture the sun disappearing below the horizon at twilight, marking the end of the day and the season's close.
Reading mnemonic
For ボ, imagine a bow (as in a ribbon) tied around the setting sun, pulling the day to a close: bow -> ボ, and the evening arrives.