There are numerous ways to characterize the difference between a sunrise and a sunset. The most obvious way to characterize the difference between the two is that sunrise is basically the start of the day and sunset is the start of the night. When it’s sunrise, the sun is going to rise from the horizon signaling the start of a new day. When it’s sunset, the sun is going to set into the horizon signaling the end of the current day. It’s a simple visual difference between the two.
But there are other ways that this difference can be visualized as they are two polar opposites from each other. The first would be morning and evening. The next would be daybreak and nocturne. And the last example would be dawn and dusk. Despite the differences in names, they mean the same thing. Morning, daybreak, and dawn each signals the coming of day. Evening, nocturne, and dusk each signals the coming of night which is at the end of day.
Sunrise and sunset can also personify life and death. There is a saying in an old story that said not to go into that good night. It means that you must fight the night. That saying meant that going into that good night is stepping into your impending death. You’re supposed to fight the coming of the night which means you’re fighting death. Sunrise can be the personification of the start of a new life such as the growth of a new plant or the birth of a new child. Sunset can personify the withering of a plant and the end of someone’s life. While sunrise can bring life, sunset can take life.
These two things can also be associated with good and evil or Heaven and Hell. Those two things are very much the same. Light means good, and darkness means evil. Sunrise can represent the coming of the light. At the same time, sunset can mean the coming of evil. While it’s sunrise, the land belongs to the creatures of the day. While it’s sunset, the land belongs to the creatures of the night.
Another way could be using warm and cold. When the sun rises, everything starts to heat up. Once that happens, things become warm. Sunset brings the polar opposite. When the sun goes away, everything goes dark. Everything starts to cool down and then it can become cold. This isn’t supposed to be taken literally as there are places where you can have cold mornings and hot nights. I do live in a state where it can still be hot out at nighttime.
There is the typical yin and the yang. The yin is very cool and passive which can be associated with sunset. The yang is fiery and aggressive which can be associated with sunrise. Sunrise can be personified as passion while sunset can be personified as the calm.
These are mere examples on how the visual differences between sunrise and sunset can be described. Think about anything that can literally and figurative be associated with light and dark. Then you have your examples on the visual differences.
My personal favorite example is being awake and being asleep. I personally like the night better. People wonder why I like the dark. When I think of the dark, I think of sleep. And I enjoy my sleep.