ashita 明日 / asu あす

[damkay]

Hi, this is a really simple question but still is bothering me, when do i say ashita and when asu, they mean the same thing and i understand the kanji means both..i think... but i have heard sometimes the use of one or the other but i don't now why...

thx

[SomeCallMeChris]

The kanji for both is 明日, yes.
And you use あした unless you're a newscaster or giving a formal speech, then it's あす. Though there may be some regional variation - if you're actually in Japan you should ask a local for the correct local answer.

Oh, and I suppose if you're reading a newspaper or magazine article aloud, you should also read 明日 as あす, because it will be written in that news tone.

[Ongakuka]

The dictionary says 'asu' can have connotations of the near future (あすの世界)
I'm not sure to what degree it is possible to use 'ashita' as a metaphor for the future though.

[SomeCallMeChris]

Of course, I haven't heard as much Japanese as the writers of your dictionary, but I have heard あした as a metaphor for the future but I've never heard あす used as such. Of course, it's impossible to know in most written works which way was intended which makes it harder to search out examples.