鶏けい鳴めい

noun

crowing of a cock; cock-a-doodle-doo

Literary term for the sound of a rooster crowing. Used in formal or poetic contexts.

• 夜よ明あけ前まえに鶏けい鳴めいが聞きこえた。

  Before dawn, the crowing of a rooster could be heard.

noun

cockcrow; dawn; daybreak

By extension, refers to the time of dawn when roosters crow. Literary and somewhat old-fashioned.

• 鶏けい鳴めいとともに旅たび立だった。

  We set off at cockcrow.

noun

hour of the Ox (around 2am)

Archaic term for the hour of the Ox in the traditional Japanese time system, approximately 1–3 AM. Related to 丑の刻.

See also: 丑の刻

• 昔むかしの時じ刻こくでは、鶏けい鳴めいは丑うしの刻こくにあたる。

  In the old time system, 鶏鳴 corresponds to the hour of the Ox.