午 almost never appears alone — it's used in time-of-day compounds: 上午 (morning/a.m.), 中午 (noon), 下午 (afternoon/p.m.), 午饭 (lunch), 午觉 (afternoon nap). These are among the first time words you'll learn.
culture
午 is the 7th of the 12 Earthly Branches (地支) and corresponds to the Horse in the Chinese zodiac. The traditional "noon" timeslot (午时, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.) is when the sun is at its highest, and the Horse symbolizes yang energy at its peak.
