三更半夜
This is another Chinese phrase we often come across in our daily lives.
We say 三更半夜 sān gēng bàn yè to mean that it is very late at night. For example, 我经常加班, 三更半夜才回家 wǒ jīng cháng jiā bān, sān gēng bàn yè cái huí jiā = I often work overtime, and only manage to return home very late at night.
We know 半夜 is referring to midnight but what about 三更?
Is 三更 the same as 半夜?
And if there's 三更, are there 一更 or 二更 or 四更? Let's explore this phrase today.
In this context, 更 gēng refers to an unit of time and is related to the ancient practice of Night watches. In olden days, the night watchmen would walk around at intervals while striking a gong to report the time. This is sort of a night patrol & time-telling 2-in-1 neighbourhood service. Hands up anyone who remember those HK movies or dramas whereby the nightwatchmen are usually the ones who witness a crime (since wrongdoings seem to always happen at night). This is how the storyline typically starts and subsequently these Nightwatch uncles would appear in court to give their account of what they saw. Correct?
I doubt they looked like Ben Stiller but the roles they served are very similar.
The period of time from dusk to dawn is divided into 5 更. In other words, each 更 is a unit of time marking a particular period. 三更 refers to the 3rd watch.
Make a guess, does 三更 include midnight?
From dusk til dawn: the entire period was divided into 5 watches, each consisting of 2 hours
一更 7pm - 9pm
二更 9pm - 11pm
三更 11pm - 1am (The middle of the 3rd watch is indeed midnight)
四更 1am - 3am
五更 3am - 5am
Hence, as the Night watchmen strike the gong at 3am to signify 五更, this is like an alarm clock for the folks to rise & shine. Yes, they do start their day early; and Nope, I don't think they had Saturdays and Sundays off.
This explains the phrase 三更半夜.
In today's usage, it's a figure of speech and you can use it to mean very late at night (doesn't have to be 12-midnight strictly).