ごろ【ころ】

ごろ (also written as ころ頃) is a suffix attached to specific points in time to express "around" or "about" that time. It indicates an approximate time when something happens or happened.

With clock times and dates

ごろ is most common with specific times such as clock times, months, and years.

With periods and eras (ころ)

When referring to a general period or era in one's life, the reading ころ is used, often preceded by の.

ごろ vs. ぐらい／くらい

A common mistake is confusing ごろ with ぐらい. The key difference is:

• ごろ = around a specific point in time (e.g., 3時ごろ – around 3 o'clock)
• ぐらい = about a duration or amount (e.g., 3時間ぐらい – about 3 hours)

Compare: 会議は2時間ぐらいかかります。(The meeting takes about 2 hours.)

Usage notes

The particle に after ごろ is optional. Both しちじ7時ごろおきる起きる and しちじ7時ごろにおきる起きる are natural.