晚上
wǎnshang
Evening or night
晚上 (wǎnshang) is the common word for "evening" or "night" in Mandarin Chinese. It refers to the period from sunset until bedtime or the early hours of the morning.
What does 晚上 (wǎnshang) mean?
晚上 (wǎnshang) means “evening or night” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “evening on.”
When to use it
Neutral and widely used. For a greeting, use 晚上好 (wǎnshang hǎo), "good evening." When referring to the deep night, 夜里 (yèlǐ) can be used, but 晚上 is often sufficient.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “WAHN-shahng.” The first syllable has a falling-rising (third) tone, and the second is a light, neutral tone.
Other ways to say it
- 晚上好wǎnshang hǎogood evening
- 夜里yèlǐat night / in the middle of the night
- 傍晚bàngwǎndusk / late afternoon
Examples
我晚上喜欢散步。
wǒ wǎnshang xǐhuan sànbù.
I like to take a walk in the evening.
你今天晚上有时间吗？
nǐ jīntiān wǎnshang yǒu shíjiān ma?
Do you have time tonight?
他每天晚上都学习到很晚。
tā měitiān wǎnshang dōu xuéxí dào hěn wǎn.
He studies late every night.
Pro tip: 晚上 covers a broad period from early evening to late night. For a specific greeting, add 好 (hǎo) to make 晚上好, "good evening."
Related phrases
中午 · Noon下午 · Afternoon分钟 · Minute
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