晝

Refers to the illuminated portion of a 24-hour cycle; specifically "daytime" or "daylight."

Primarily used as a noun. It can function adverbially without a preposition (e.g., meaning "by day" or "during the daylight hours"). In the compound 晝夜, it often denotes persistence ("constantly," "ceaselessly," or "around the clock").

Distinguished from 日 (rì). While 日 can refer to the sun, a specific calendar date, or a general day, 晝 specifically denotes the temporal quality of daylight, emphasizing visibility, wakefulness, or active hours.

The simplified variant (U+663C) is functionally identical to the standard glyph in classical contexts.