noun HSK 5
qīng chén
early morning · dawn · daybreak

Meaning

清晨 refers to the early morning hours, typically from just before sunrise until around 7 or 8 AM. It evokes a sense of freshness and clarity, as 清 means 'clear' or 'pure' and 晨 means 'morning.' The word carries a peaceful, serene connotation and is often used in literary or poetic contexts.

Usage

清晨 is more formal and elegant than the casual 早上 (morning). Native speakers use it in written language, news broadcasts, and when describing the atmosphere or beauty of early morning. It commonly appears in phrases describing activities done at dawn or the quality of morning air and light.

Examples

  1. 01
    清晨的空气特别清新。
    Qīng chén de kōng bié qīng xīn.
    The air in the early morning is especially fresh.
  2. 02
    他每天清晨都去公园跑步。
    měi tiān qīng chén dōu gōng yuán pǎo .
    He goes jogging in the park every morning at dawn.

Characters

Measure words

  • 一个清晨

Common collocations

  • 清晨的阳光
    qīng chén de yáng guāng
    morning sunlight
  • 清晨时分
    qīng chén shí fēn
    in the early morning hours
  • 清晨锻炼
    qīng chén duàn liàn
    morning exercise
  • 清晨
    zài qīng chén
    in the early morning

Antonyms

Origin

The combination of 清 (clear/pure) and 晨 (morning) creates an image of the fresh, unpolluted quality of early morning hours when the air is crisp and the day is new.

Related