Introduction
Today, we will learn how to express the duration of activities in Japanese using the term “-jikan” (hours). This post will help you understand how to use this term correctly in various contexts.
What It Means
“-Jikan” means “- hour(s).” It is used to express the duration of an activity.
When You Use It
You use “-jikan” to talk about how long something lasts. For example, if you waited for someone for one hour, you would use “ichi jikan.”
Examples
マリアさんはそこでりくさんを１時間待ちました。
(Maria-san wa soko de Riku-san o ichi jikan machimashita)
Maria waited for Riku for one hour.
私はきのう日本語を２時間ぐらい勉強しました。
(Watashi wa kinou Nihongo o ni jikan gurai benkyou shimashita)
I studied Japanese for about two hours yesterday.
きのう８時間半寝ました。
(Kinou hachi jikan han nemashita)
I slept for eight and a half hours last night.
Note
- To say “about one hour,” you can add “ぐらい” after “１時間”: １時間ぐらい (ichi jikan gurai).
- To say “one hour and a half,” you add “半” after “１時間”: １時間半 (ichi jikan han).
- If you want to say “about one and a half hours,” “ぐらい” comes last: １時間半ぐらい (ichi jikan han gurai).
- Be careful not to confuse “ぐらい (gurai)” and “ごろ (goro).” “ぐらい” is used for approximate duration, while “ごろ” is used for approximate points in time. For example, “I slept at about 8:30” is “きのう８時半ごろ寝ました。” (Kinou hachi ji han goro nemashita).
Conclusion
Understanding how to express duration in Japanese is essential for clear communication. By mastering the use of “-時間” (jikan) and related terms, you can accurately describe how long activities take.
