How to say "pause" in Japanese

• 間まJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers the pause as a brief span of time — a beat or momentary gap, felt in the timing of speech, music, or action rather than as a deliberate stop.
  鬼おにの居いぬ間まに洗濯せんたく。↗

  When the cat is away, the mice will play.
• 休止きゅうしCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbDenotes a pause as the stopping or suspension of an activity — a halt or rest rather than a natural gap; used when something is put on hold or stops for a time.
  こちらのレジは今いま休止きゅうし中ちゅうなんですよ。↗

  This register is out of commission.
• 区切りくぎりJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe pause that divides: a break marking where one unit of speech or writing ends and the next begins, close to 'punctuation'; by extension, a stopping point in what one is doing.
• 間合いまあいCommon
  nounReally denotes an interval — the gap or spacing between two parties, as in the distance and timing between opponents; as a way to say 'pause' it is specialized and seldom the word you want.
  音楽おんがくでも演説えんぜつでも、間合まあいはすばらしい効果こうかをあげるものとしてしばしば利用りようされる。↗

  In music or speaking, a pause is frequently used for dramatic effect.
• 合間あいまJLPT N1approx.Common
  no-adjectiveA pause as a spare moment: the short interval between activities, especially in a busy stretch of time, when one briefly breaks off to do something else.
  勉強べんきょうの合間あいまに私はテレビをみた。↗

  I watched television during a break in my studies.

Choose 間 for a brief beat in timing, 休止 for a formal stop or suspension of activity, 「区切り」 for a dividing pause in speech or writing, 合間 for a spare moment between activities, and 「間合い」 only for specialized intervals.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 間まtime
• 休止きゅうしpause
• 区切りくぎりpause (in speech, writing, etc.)
• 間合いまあいpause
• 合間あいまinterval
• 絶え間たえまinterval
• 間断かんだんbreak in time
• 立ち止まるたちどまるto stop (in one's tracks)
• 途切れるとぎれるto break off
• ポーズpause
• 一切りひときりpause
• 間を置くまをおくto pause
• 途絶えとだえpause
• 間を取るまをとるto pause
• 途切れとぎれbreak
• 一時停止いちじていしsuspension
• 一区切りひとくぎりbreak
• 一時休止いちじきゅうしadjournment
• 言葉を切ることばをきるto stop talking
• 足を止めるあしをとめるto stop walking
• 一息ひといきpause
• 切れ目きれめpause
• 淀みよどみfaltering
• はざまinterval