How to say "moment" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 時ときnounCovers 'moment' as a point in time — 'at that moment', 'the moment when something happened'. Its basic meaning is time or occasion, so for a fleeting instant another word usually fits better.
- 瞬間しゅんかんnounThe straightforward word for a moment or instant: a very short stretch of time, as when something happens. Reach for this when you simply mean a brief point in time.
- 一瞬いっしゅんnoun, adverbAn instant so brief it barely registers — 'for an instant', 'in a flash'. Use it when the emphasis falls on just how short the moment is.
- nounHere 'moment' means a short while — a brief stretch of time experienced or spent, not a split second. It is usually written in kana alone rather than in kanji.
- 刹那せつなnoun, adverbAn instant treated as vanishingly brief; the word carries a poetic, weighty tone compared with 瞬間, and for an ordinary 'moment' 瞬間 is usually the safer choice.
Use 瞬間 for a neutral brief instant, 一瞬 when stressing brevity, 時 for 'the moment when' as a point in time, 「ひととき」 for a short while, and 刹那 for a poetic, vanishingly brief instant.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 時ときtime
- 瞬間しゅんかんmoment
- 一瞬いっしゅんinstant
- ひとときa (short) time
- 刹那せつなmoment
- 瞬時しゅんじinstant
- つかの間つかのまmoment
- 期ごtime
- とっさmoment
- モーメントmoment (of time)
- 積率せきりつmoment
- 寸時すんじmoment
- 分秒ふんびょうmoment
- 須臾しゅゆmoment
- 一瞬間いっしゅんかんmoment
- 一刹那いっせつな(a) moment
- 瞬刻しゅんこくmoment
- 寸刻すんこくmoment
- 造次顛沛ぞうじてんぱい(a) moment
- 寸陰すんいんmoment
- 造次ぞうじvery short time
- 運動率うんどうりつmotility (usu. sperm)
- みぎりtime
- はずみmoment
- 能率のうりつmoment
- 秒速びょうそくinstant
- まぎれbeing gripped by strong feelings
- 弾指だんしmoment
- ミニッツinstant
- 段だんstage (in a process)
See also
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