also: じょうや · ながよ
noun, adverb
long night
Refers to a night that feels long, especially in poetic or literary contexts. Can be used as a noun or adverbially. Often contrasted with 短夜 (short night).
See also: 短夜
長夜の果てに朝が来た。
Morning came at the end of the long night.
彼は長夜を嘆いた。
He lamented the long night.
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Only with reading ちょうや / じょうや
Used with readings ちょうや or じょうや to mean 'throughout the night' or 'all night long'. Functions as a noun or with の to modify another noun.
長夜の宴が続いた。
The all-night banquet continued.
長夜を明かして語り合った。
We talked through the night until dawn.
Rare native-Japanese reading; mostly literary or archaic.
Means 'short night', often used as a poetic contrast to 長夜.
Compound of 長 (long) and 夜 (night). The reading ちょうや is the standard Sino-Japanese on'yomi; じょうや is a variant on'yomi; ながよ is the native Japanese kun'yomi reading, now rare.