更こう

noun

one-fifth of the night; watch of the night

Historical Chinese and Japanese time unit dividing the night into five equal watches, each roughly two hours. Used in classical contexts and fixed expressions like 五更.

See also: 五更

• 昔むかしの中ちゅう国ごくでは、夜よるを五ご更こうに分わけていた。

  In old China, the night was divided into five watches.

• 「五ご更こう」という言こと葉ばは、夜よ明あけ前まえの最さい後ごの更こうを指さす。

  The term 五更 refers to the last watch before dawn.