凌晨 língchén very early in the morning
very early in the morning; in the wee hours
How to remember 凌晨: 凌 pure + 晨 dawn = very early in the morning.
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How it is used
- The wee hours - the dark stretch after midnight and before dawn: 凌晨三点 (língchén sān diǎn) 3 a.m.
- Refers specifically to roughly 0-5 a.m., unlike 早晨 (zǎochén, early morning around sunrise) or 清晨 (qīngchén, dawn).
- Common in news and reports pinpointing overnight events.