* 夕方 (yūgata): This is the most common and generally neutral way to say "evening" or "in the evening." It refers to the period between late afternoon and nightfall.
* 夜 (yoru): This means "night," but it can also be used to refer to the evening, especially when talking about activities that happen later in the evening.
* 夜に (yoruni): This is "at night" or "in the evening," using the particle に (ni) to indicate time. Similar to using "yoru" alone, this is suitable for later evening activities.
* 晩 (ban): This word means "evening" or "night," and is often used in more formal settings or in phrases.
Therefore, the best option depends on context. For most situations, 夕方 (yūgata) is a safe and accurate choice. If you're talking about something happening later at night, 夜 (yoru) or 夜に (yoruni) would be better.