Difference between Evening and Afternoon (With Table)

There are different parts of the day depending on the time. Most of us have failed to understand which name is suitable for which part of the day.

The four parts include; morning, afternoon, evening, and night. As the sun earth moves around the sun, it causes changes in times hence the four parts of the day.

Most people have used the term afternoon with evening interchangeably. The two are completely different hence they are used at different times.

So, what is the main difference between evening and afternoon? The main difference is of time. The evening is the time between 4 to 8 pm while the afternoon is the time between 1 to 4 pm.

For more information about the difference between evening and afternoon in tabular form continue reading the article. You will also get to learn of the similarities between the two.

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Comparison Table (Evening vs Afternoon)

Basic Terms	Evening	Afternoon
Part of the day	It is part of the day when the clock hand is between 4 to 8 pm.	It is part of the day when the clock hand is between 1 to 4 pm.
Occurrence	It occurs at dusk when the sun is setting.	It occurs when the sun begins to descend from its peak.
Greetings	The greetings used are “good evening”.	The greetings used is “ good afternoon”
Sun	It occurs when sunlight starts decreasing to dusk.	It is marked by the decrease of daylight.

What is Evening?

The evening is part of the day that occurs immediately after the afternoon. It occurs between 4 to 8 pm. It is also said to be the last part of the day upon which the sunsets.

It occurs when the sun is setting hence can be referred to as sun setting time. The time is usually referred to as dusk.

The greetings used at this time are “good evening”. This happens when sunlight starts decreasing to dusk.

It is the time when people take supper and get ready to bed. Most activities do not take place at this time. However, there are some activities that are specifically done at this time.

When is the Afternoon?

The afternoon is the part of the day when the sun has started setting. It comes between 1:00pm to 4:00pm. At this time the sun is usually hot as it is moving from the overhead position.

The pat of the day sets in when the sun starts descending from its peak. At this time, the sun is low angle hence bright and glaring.

Hormone, body temperature, and alertness are affected when this part of the day sets in. The greetings used at this part of the day are “good afternoon”.

This part of the day is marked by the decrease in daylight. This is the time when most people come from their working places and takes dinner.

Main Difference between Evening and Afternoon

The evening is the third part of the day while the afternoon is the second part of the day.
Evening comes between 4 to 8 pm while afternoon comes between 1 to 4 pm.
Evening greetings are “good evening” while afternoon greetings are “good afternoon”.
Evening occurs when sunlight starts decreasing to dusk while the afternoon is marked by the decrease of daylight.

Similarities between evening and Afternoon

Both are parts of the day.
Both occur after mid-day.

Conclusion

Evening and afternoon are both parts of the day that occur when the sun is already past mid-day. The parts are mostly confused but they are totally different from each other.

The main difference between evening and afternoon is that the evening is part of the day that occurs when the clock hand is between 4 and 8 pm while the afternoon is part of the day when the clock hand is between 1 and 4 pm.

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