How to say "period" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 時代じだいnounCovers 'period' in the historical sense: an era or age marked by particular events, culture or conditions, as in a named period of history. Not for short measured spans of time.
- 期間きかんnounThe word for 'period' as a measured span of time between two points: a duration such as a contract or rental period, or a period of some months.
- 期きnoun, noun (suffix)In practice little used as an independent word; it serves chiefly as an element inside compound words for defined or scheduled stretches of time, so it is seldom the word you want to say 'period' by itself.
- 時期じきnoun, adverbFor 'period' meaning a phase or stretch of time within a larger course of events: the time when something happens, is done, or is at a certain stage, rather than a precisely measured duration.
- 期限きげんnounCovers 'period' when it means a bounded term or time frame ending at a set cutoff: the stretch by which something must be done or expires — a deadline-like sense, not a general duration.
Use 時代 for historical eras, 期間 for a measured span or duration, 時期 for a phase or season within a process, 期限 for a term with a deadline, and 期 mainly as an element in compounds.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 時代じだいperiod
- 期間きかんperiod
- 期きperiod
- 時期じきtime
- 期限きげんterm
- 年代ねんだいage
- 周期しゅうきcycle
- ピリオドperiod (esp. in European languages)
- ピリperiod (interval of a game)
- 終止符しゅうしふfull stop
- 頃おいころおいtime
- 紀きperiod
- エイジage
- 句点くてんperiod
- 一周期いっしゅうきperiod
- 時間目じかんめperiod (e.g. class)
- 御代みよ(imperial) reign
- 一切りひときりpause
- 月のものつきのものmenstruation
- 週期しゅうきcycle
- フルストップfull stop
- 月役つきやくmenstruation
- 年紀ねんきyear
- 時限じげん(school) period
- 時間じかんperiod
- 世よage
- 朝ちょうperiod
- 障りさわりmenstruation
- あれperiod
- ○まるperiod
See also
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