夜明け

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 夜明け, read よあけ, means dawn, when night ends and daylight begins to appear.
• Basic usage: 夜明けとともに marks something happening at daybreak, while 夜明け前 places it earlier.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The time when night gives way to daylight
  • This is the point when night begins to brighten and birdsong starts. A construction meaning before dawn marks an earlier time.