宵

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 宵 is read as よい and is a noun for early evening, after sunset but before the night grows late.
• Basic usage: The early evening of a festival appears in 祭りの宵, while an evening breeze appears in 宵の風.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Early part of the night
  • It does not cover the whole night but points to the relatively early period when lights come on and evening events begin.
• Difference from 夜
  • 夜 broadly denotes the night after sunset, while 宵 focuses on its early portion before it becomes late.