zhòu

daytime

When the sun is a foot  above the horizon 

Components
尺 meaning component

  Meaning component

chǐchě

  

traditional Chinese unit of length ~ 1 foot

旦 meaning component

  Meaning component

dàn

  

dawn

Evolution

昼 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
昼 Bronze script Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze script

Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
昼 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
昼 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
昼 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
昼 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

() 

zhòu

daytime, daylight; daytime

Most common words with 昼
Freq.
Word
Meaning

昼夜

day and night

白昼

daytime

daytime

不分昼夜

day and night

昼伏夜出

nocturnal