小さ夜よ中なか

noun, adverb

midnight; dead of night

Archaic word for the middle of the night. In modern Japanese, 真夜中 (まよなか) is the standard term. This form may appear in classical literature or poetry.

• 小さ夜よ中なかに鐘かねの音おとが聞きこえた。

  The sound of a bell was heard at midnight.

• 古こ典てんでは「さよなか」と読よむことがある。

  In classical texts, it is sometimes read as 'sayonaka'.