Kanji for "sun"

[lucagalbu]

Hello!
When I had to write sun I've always used the kanji 日, but now I've found this other kanji: 陽.
Is there any difference between these two kanjis? Is one more common then the other one?

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by lucagalbu

Hello!
When I had to write sun I've always used the kanji 日, but now I've found this other kanji: 陽.
Is there any difference between these two kanjis? Is one more common then the other one?

They both can mean sun but they are used differently as compounds.

e.g.
日没（にちぼつ） - Sunset
太陽（たいよう） - Sun (planet)

[RadioKid]

日 is related to Day, day-time and day-light while 陽 is related to sun and sun-light.

太陽 means exactly "sun" itself.

[KyleGoetz]

Radio Kid is quite accurate.

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by RadioKid

日 is related to Day, day-time and day-light while 陽 is related to sun and sun-light.

太陽 means exactly "sun" itself.

That's not quite accurate.

Otherwise you won't be able to explain why 日没 means sunset and why Japan is called 日本 and why the symbol of the self defence army flag is called 旭日（きょくじつ）. They both can mean sun but with different compounds.

[lucagalbu]

so, if I have to say "my eyes are dazzled by the sun", how do you say that?
太陽がまぶしい
or
陽がまぶしい
?

[alanX]

If always thought that 日　is always used for things pertaining to time, in a sense. And 陽 is always used for like things pertaining to the acual physicality of the sun, Am I right?

[RadioKid]

I'm not aiming to be accurate. I can not check my post for all Japanese words and I often look over something important. Anyway thank you KyleGoetz-san.

However, please let me try to explain the questions by Kirakira-san.

The words you pointed are all very old words. I do not use those words in usual conversation. I mean I do not use 日本 as "where sun rises" but as "Japan".

日没 is usuallｙ used as "日没時間; the time sun falls" and it means the end of a day. Also 日照時間 actually means the daytime.

people will say as "陽が落ちる" not as "日が落ちる". Also I would say "陽が高いうちに" instead of "日が高いうちに".

Young Japanese would not know the word 旭日. I have never used it too.

I think my answer above will be 90% right as far as in current usual conversations.

[lucagalbu]

and what's the difference between 陽 and 太陽?

[shooon]

I completely agree with this idea

Originally Posted by RadioKid

陽 is related to sun and sun-light.
太陽 means exactly "sun" itself.

However, may I explain in another way?

[1)difference between 陽 and 日]
IMHO, 陽 simply means 太陽.
On the other hand, 日 has more meanings than 陽.
日 can mean "sun", "day"(, "Japan",etc). but
陽 only means "sun".
So, I think you can say 日　⊇　陽.

For example, Japanese use both 日光 and 陽光.
(Actually the nuance of 日光 is a little different from that of 陽光.
The latter useally implies warmth, but the former doesn't.)

But 陽 is not always interchangeable with 日 even when they both mean "sun".
You can say 朝日, but not 朝陽.
You can say 太陽, but not 太日.
I don't know why...I'm sorry.m(_ _)m

By the way, I think most Japanese people use both "陽が落ちる" and "日が落ちる".
In this case, (today's) Japanse people don't care of the difference.
(Google Results
日が落ちる
陽が落ちる
)

*We rarely use 旭日 today. Only when to refer to 旭日旗(flag).

[2)difference between 陽 and 太陽]
When you use 陽 in 熟語(陽 ＋the other kanji letter(s)), you should use 陽 not 太陽.
In the other cases, generally speaking, you can use both of them.

e.g.)
太陽がまぶしい vs. 陽がまぶしい : both OK.
太陽がのぼる vs. 陽がのぼる : both OK (someone might say the latter is better, but I personally don't care.)

---
Please excuse my English!