Meaning and Usage
"午後" (ごご) means "afternoon" or "P.M." and is used to refer to the time period after 12 noon until evening. It is a common word used in daily conversation, schedules, and time expressions.
Common Contexts
You will often see "午後" used when specifying times in the afternoon, such as "午後三時" (3 P.M.) or when talking about activities planned or happening after noon.
Collocations and Patterns
- 午後三時 (ごごさんじ): 3 P.M., a specific time in the afternoon
- 午後から (ごごから): from the afternoon, indicating the start time of an action
- 午後は (ごごは): as for the afternoon, used to talk about general conditions or plans in the afternoon
Register and Politeness
"午後" is neutral and polite enough for both casual and formal contexts. It is commonly used in spoken and written Japanese.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "午後" with "昼" (ひる), which means "daytime" or "noon". Remember that "午後" specifically refers to the time after 12:00 noon, while "昼" can refer to the whole daytime period including noon.