旦 means “dawn, daybreak”

たん · tan

Also: morning

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

あきらか, あきら, ただし, あさ, あした

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

タン, ダン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 5 strokes

The story

The sun (日) just clearing the horizon (一): a picture of daybreak. 元旦 is the first morning of the year, when crowds climb hills to see the 初日の出, the first sunrise, 一旦 means for now, and 旦那 is a husband or master.

Used in 元旦 (gantan, New Year's morning), 一旦 (ittan, once/for now), and 旦那 (danna, husband/master)

More from Light & Shadow

• 昭 bright
• 宙 midair
• 透 transparent
• 輝 shine
• 雰 atmosphere
• 暖 warm
• 陰 shade
• 暁 daybreak
• 闇 darkness
• 宵 evening

Learn 旦 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.