Yesterday, Previous

Interesting Fact

In historical Japanese writing, dates and references to previous days were often expressed in formal Chinese-influenced vocabulary rather than the conversational language people use today. Words derived from Sino-Japanese readings, such as 昨夜（さくや） and 昨年（さくねん）, became part of this formal vocabulary. This is why Japanese still has several words containing 昨 that sound more formal or written than everyday きのう. The kanji carries a little piece of Japan's long tradition of Chinese-style written language. 📜🏯