Japanese kanji 間: between; during

The idea

間 has 12 strokes. Follow the order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 間（あいだ）, “between; during”, with 時間（じかん）, “time; duration”. A character may be read differently from word to word; learn each word as a unit.

Examples

• 木きと木きの間あいだに家いえがあります。There is a house between the trees.
• 休やすみの間あいだに本ほんを読よみます。I read a book during the break.
• 今日きょうは時間じかんがありません。I do not have time today.
• 電車でんしゃに間まに合あいました。I caught the train in time.
• 一時間いちじかん、日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I study Japanese for one hour.
• 間まをあけて座すわってください。Please leave some space between you when you sit down.

Watch out

間（あいだ） can describe a space or period between things; 間（ま） can mean a gap. Compare the shape of 間 with 問; notice how their components differ.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 間 (between; during) in hiragana.

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   あいだ

   間 is read あいだ and means “between; during”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word.

2. Write the reading of 時間 (time; duration) in hiragana.

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   じかん

   時間 is read じかん and means “time; duration”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: 一時＿（いちじかん）.

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   間

   間 completes 一時間（いちじかん）, meaning “one hour”.

4. Which word means “to be in time”? Write the whole word using kanji: 間に合う or 時間.

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   間に合う

   間に合う is read まにあう and means “to be in time”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word. 時間 instead means “time; duration”.

Use it today

Write 間 three times following the linked stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 間 and 時間 aloud, and then check their readings and meanings.