今宵

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 今宵 is read as こよい and is a time expression meaning tonight or this evening.
• Basic usage: It can introduce tonight as the topic of a plan or mark the time when a festival begins.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Tonight as the topic
  • 今宵は presents tonight as the topic and follows it with what the speakers will do then. Example: 今宵は満月を眺めながら静かに過ごしましょう。
• The start time of an event
  • Placed after the event in 祭りは今宵, it marks this evening as the time the festival begins. Example: 祭りは今宵、城の広場で始まります。