明天
míng tiān · HSK 1
tomorrow
📅 明 = sun 日 + moon 月 (bright); 天 = sky/day
明 combines 日 (sun) and 月 (moon) for brightness, extended to the bright next day. 天 means sky or day. Together 明天 = the bright/next day = tomorrow.
天 — 一 (one/sky) above 大 (big person)
Originally a pictograph of a person (大) with an emphasized head, representing what is above — the sky or heavens. The top stroke evolved into 一, symbolizing the vast expanse overhead. From 'sky' it extended to mean 'day,' 'heaven,' and 'nature.'