Translation guide
The natural light of the sun during the day. This guide covers how to express 'daylight' in Japanese, from the physical light itself to idiomatic uses like 'in broad daylight'.
Referring to the natural light from the sun during daytime hours.
The most direct and common word for 'sunlight' or 'daylight'. Used in both everyday and technical contexts.
日光が部屋いっぱいに差し込んでいる。
Daylight is streaming into the room.
この植物は日光を好む。
This plant likes daylight.
Refers to the rays of the sun, often emphasizing the warmth or brightness. More poetic or sensory than 日光.
春の日差しが心地よい。
The spring daylight feels pleasant.
Technical term for 'daylight', often used in lighting or color temperature contexts (e.g., 'daylight bulbs').
昼光色の蛍光灯を買った。
I bought a daylight fluorescent light.
Referring to the time between sunrise and sunset when it is light outside.
The most common word for 'daytime' or 'during the day'. Often used in weather forecasts or schedules.
日中は晴れるでしょう。
It will be sunny during the daylight hours.
日中に買い物に行く。
I'll go shopping in the daylight.
Also means 'daytime', but slightly more casual and often contrasts with 'nighttime' (夜間).
Literary or formal word for 'broad daylight'. Often used in the phrase 白昼の (in broad daylight).
Emphasizing that something happens openly during the day, often with a sense of audacity.
The standard phrase for 'in broad daylight' with the nuance of doing something openly and shamelessly.
犯人は白昼堂々と銀行に押し入った。
The criminal broke into the bank in broad daylight.
Colloquial expression meaning 'in broad daylight' or 'in the middle of the day', often with a tone of surprise or disapproval.
真っ昼間からお酒を飲むなんて。
Drinking alcohol in broad daylight, really?
The practice of advancing clocks during summer months.
The standard term for 'daylight saving time' in Japan. Literally 'summer time'.
アメリカでは夏時間が始まった。
Daylight saving time has started in the US.
日光 is the general term for sunlight/daylight. 日差し emphasizes the rays and warmth, often used in poetic or sensory descriptions. 太陽光 (たいようこう) is more technical, used for solar power or scientific contexts.
While 日の光 (ひのひかり) is grammatically correct, it sounds poetic or archaic. Stick to 日光 for most uses.
昼間は暖かかった。
It was warm during the daylight.
白昼の強盗事件。
A robbery in broad daylight.
Loanword from English 'summer time', commonly understood but less formal than 夏時間.
サマータイムは日本にはない。
There is no daylight saving time in Japan.