From Old Japanese *asa*, cognate with the Ryukyuan languages' forms for "morning." The character 朝 combines 日 (sun) with a phonetic element, and also means "dynasty" or "imperial court" in Sino-Japanese readings — a reminder that the character carries the sense of the sun rising at the start of a new day (or a new reign).

Japanese has a rich set of morning-specific expressions: おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu) is the standard good-morning greeting, literally meaning "it is early." Morning is culturally prized in Japan — 早起きは三文の徳 ("getting up early is worth three mon") is a well-known proverb equivalent to "the early bird catches the worm." Note that 朝 (あさ, asa) should not be confused with 明日 (あした, ashita, "tomorrow") — beginners sometimes mix them up in quick speech.