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明日 (あした, ashita) Japanese meaning: tomorrow | Kotomora

明日あした

also: あす · みょうにち

あ

し

た

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Common word›JLPTN5›Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

Meanings

1

The day after today. Used as both a noun and an adverb. あした is the default everyday reading; あす is slightly more formal; みょうにち is formal.

明日あしたは休やすみです。

Tomorrow is a day off.

明日あした、映えい画がを見みに行いきませんか。

Would you like to go see a movie tomorrow?

2

Only with reading あす

Used with the reading あす to refer to the immediate future in a slightly abstract or poetic way. Not used with あした or みょうにち for this sense.

あすの日本にほんを担になう若わか者ものたち。
The young people who will carry Japan's near future.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉〉を明日あしたに延のばすto put something off until tomorrow
会かい議ぎを明日あしたに延のばした。
We postponed the meeting until tomorrow.
明日あしたまでに〈事こと〉〉by tomorrow, ...
明日あしたまでにレポートを終おわらせないといけない。
I have to finish the report by tomorrow.

Expressions

また明日あしたsee you tomorrow
明日あしたという日ひもあるtomorrow is another day; there's always tomorrow
明日あしたは明日あしたの風かぜが吹ふくtomorrow will take care of itself; let tomorrow worry about itself
明日あしたやろうは馬ば鹿か野や郎ろうnever put off until tomorrow what you can do today

Kanji

明bright, light
日day, sun, Japan

Related words

翌よく日じつN3sense 1
明日 is deictic, always meaning the day after today; 翌日 is relative, meaning the day after some other reference point, and is more formal/narrative.
明みょう朝ちょうN1
明日 refers to the whole of tomorrow, whereas 明朝 narrows it down to just the morning of tomorrow.

Opposites

昨日きのうN5sense 1
明日 means the day after today, while 昨日 means the day before today.
今日きょうN5
明日 means “tomorrow,” the day immediately after 今日 on the calendar.

Don't confuse with

明後日あさってN5
明日 means 'tomorrow' while 明後日 means 'the day after tomorrow', one day further ahead, and beginners often mix the two up.

Word family

アシタバ
ashitaba; Angelica keiskei
明日あした天てん気き
shoe-throwing weather game

Written forms

明日Usage92%
- あした
  gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
  Most common reading in everyday speech. The kanji spelling is standard.
- あす
  gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
  Slightly more formal or literary than あした. Also used in fixed expressions and forecasts.

Etymology

The kanji 明 (bright, next) and 日 (day) combine to mean 'the next day'. The readings あした and あす are native Japanese words; みょうにち is a Sino-Japanese reading.

みょうにち

Formal reading, common in business, official announcements, and written schedules.

あしたUsage5%

gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

あすUsage3%

gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

アシタUsage<1%

みょうにち