How do you say "midnight" in Chinese?

午夜

wǔ yè

Noun Hanzi

In Chinese, "midnight" is 午夜 (wǔ yè).

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Pronunciation

Try saying "wǔ yè" — third tone, then fourth tone — where dipping low then curling back up, like a small scoop; then the next syllable is snapping downward fast.

Writing and usage

午夜 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.

Example sentence

钟声敲响了午夜。

zhōng shēng qiāo xiǎng le wǔ yè 。

The clock struck midnight.

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How to remember 午夜

Link "wǔ yè" to the moment when the clock struck midnight and the word midnight sticks.

Related words

Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.

Questions about 午夜

How do you pronounce 午夜?

Try saying "wǔ yè" — third tone, then fourth tone — where dipping low then curling back up, like a small scoop; then the next syllable is snapping downward fast.

Is 午夜 formal or casual?

午夜 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is 午夜 used in Chinese?

午夜 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 钟声敲响了午夜。 (The clock struck midnight.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Midnight" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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