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Japanese Time Vocabulary: 320+ Essential Words [FULL]
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Table of Contents
1. Years and Seasons
2. Months
3. Weeks
4. Days
5. Hours
6. Minutes & Seconds
7. Morning/Evening
8. Time Words
9. Periods and Eras
10. Time Expression and Idioms
11. Miscellaneous Time Words
Japanese time vocabulary is one of the most practical areas to master, whether you’re making plans, setting appointments, or simply talking about your daily routine. Let’s dicover 320+ essential words from Mazii to help you confidently use time-related vocabulary in real-life conversations.
Time Vocabulary Japanese: 320+ Essential Words [FULL]
Years and Seasons
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
年 |
toshi |
year |
歳 |
sai |
year old |
去年 |
kyonen |
last year |
今年 |
kotoshi |
this year |
来年 |
rainen |
next year |
一昨年 |
ototoshi |
year before last |
再来年 |
sarainen |
year after next |
年末 |
nenmatsu |
year-end |
年始 |
nenshi |
new year |
年中 |
nenjū |
all year round |
毎年 |
maitoshi |
every year |
季節 |
kisetsu |
season |
春 |
haru |
spring |
夏 |
natsu |
summer |
秋 |
aki |
autumn |
冬 |
fuyu |
winter |
Months
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
一月 |
ichigatsu |
January |
二月 |
nigatsu |
February |
三月 |
sangatsu |
March |
四月 |
shigatsu |
April |
五月 |
gogatsu |
May |
六月 |
rokugatsu |
June |
七月 |
shichigatsu |
July |
八月 |
hachigatsu |
August |
九月 |
kugatsu |
September |
十月 |
jūgatsu |
October |
十一月 |
jūichigatsu |
November |
十二月 |
jūnigatsu |
December |
月 |
tsuki |
month |
先月 |
sengetsu |
last month |
今月 |
kongetsu |
this month |
来月 |
raigetsu |
next month |
毎月 |
maitsuki |
every month |
Weeks
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
週 |
shū |
week |
先週 |
senshū |
last week |
今週 |
konshū |
this week |
来週 |
raishū |
next week |
毎週 |
maishū |
every week |
週末 |
shūmatsu |
weekend |
週明け |
shūake |
start of the week |
平日 |
heijitsu |
weekday |
曜日 |
yōbi |
day of the week |
日曜日 |
nichiyōbi |
Sunday |
月曜日 |
getsuyōbi |
Monday |
火曜日 |
kayōbi |
Tuesday |
水曜日 |
suiyōbi |
Wednesday |
木曜日 |
mokuyōbi |
Thursday |
金曜日 |
kin'yōbi |
Friday |
土曜日 |
doyōbi |
Saturday |
Days
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
日 |
hi |
day |
一日 |
tsuitachi |
1st day of the month |
二日 |
futsuka |
2nd day of the month |
三日 |
mikka |
3rd day of the month |
四日 |
yokka |
4th day of the month |
五日 |
itsuka |
5th day of the month |
六日 |
muika |
6th day of the month |
七日 |
nanoka |
7th day of the month |
八日 |
yōka |
8th day of the month |
九日 |
kokonoka |
9th day of the month |
十日 |
tōka |
10th day of the month |
十一日 |
jūichinichi |
11th day of the month |
十二日 |
jūninichi |
12th day of the month |
十三日 |
jūsan'nichi |
13th day of the month |
十四日 |
jūyokka |
14th day of the month |
十五日 |
jūgonichi |
15th day of the month |
十六日 |
jūrokunichi |
16th day of the month |
十七日 |
jūshichinichi |
17th day of the month |
十八日 |
jūhachinichi |
18th day of the month |
十九日 |
jūkunichi |
19th day of the month |
二十日 |
hatsuka |
20th day of the month |
二十一日 |
nijūichinichi |
21st day of the month |
二十二日 |
nijūninichi |
22nd day of the month |
二十三日 |
nijūsan'nichi |
23rd day of the month |
二十四日 |
nijūyonnichi |
24th day of the month |
二十五日 |
nijūgonichi |
25th day of the month |
二十六日 |
nijūrokunichi |
26th day of the month |
二十七日 |
nijūshichinichi |
27th day of the month |
二十八日 |
nijūhachinichi |
28th day of the month |
二十九日 |
nijūkunichi |
29th day of the month |
三十日 |
sanjūnichi |
30th day of the month |
三十一日 |
sanjūichinichi |
31st day of the month |
日中 |
nicchū |
during the day |
毎日 |
mainichi |
every day |
明日 |
ashita |
tomorrow |
明後日 |
asatte |
day after tomorrow |
今日 |
kyō |
today |
昨日 |
kinō |
yesterday |
一昨日 |
ototoi |
day before yesterday |
Hours
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
時間 |
jikan |
time/hour |
時 |
ji |
o'clock |
一時 |
ichiji |
1 o'clock |
二時 |
niji |
2 o'clock |
三時 |
sanji |
3 o'clock |
四時 |
yoji |
4 o'clock |
五時 |
goji |
5 o'clock |
六時 |
rokuji |
6 o'clock |
七時 |
shichiji |
7 o'clock |
八時 |
hachiji |
8 o'clock |
九時 |
kuji |
9 o'clock |
十時 |
jūji |
10 o'clock |
十一時 |
jūichiji |
11 o'clock |
十二時 |
jūniiji |
12 o'clock |
昼 |
hiru |
noon |
昼間 |
hiruma |
daytime |
昼過ぎ |
hirusugi |
afternoon |
毎時 |
maiji |
every hour |
Minutes & Seconds
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
分 |
fun/pun |
minute |
一分 |
ippun |
one minute |
二分 |
nifun |
two minutes |
三分 |
sanpun |
three minutes |
四分 |
yonpun |
four minutes |
五分 |
gofun |
five minutes |
六分 |
roppun |
six minutes |
七分 |
nanafun |
seven minutes |
八分 |
happun/hachifun |
eight minutes |
九分 |
kyūfun |
nine minutes |
十分 |
juppun/jippun |
ten minutes |
毎分 |
maifun |
every minute |
秒 |
byō |
second |
一秒 |
ichibyō |
one second |
十秒 |
jūbyō |
ten seconds |
三十秒 |
sanjūbyō |
thirty seconds |
六十秒 |
rokujūbyō |
sixty seconds |
毎秒 |
maibyō |
every second |
Morning/Evening
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
朝 |
asa |
morning |
朝方 |
asagata |
early morning |
昼 |
hiru |
noon |
晩 |
ban |
evening |
夜 |
yoru |
night |
夜中 |
yonaka |
midnight |
宵 |
yoi |
early evening |
未明 |
mimei |
dawn |
明け方 |
akegata |
dawn |
早朝 |
sōchō |
early morning |
午前 |
gozen |
a.m. |
午後 |
gogo |
p.m. |
今朝 |
kesa |
this morning |
今夜 |
kon'ya |
tonight |
昨夜 |
sakuya |
last night |
今晩 |
konban |
tonight |
毎朝 |
maiasa |
every morning |
毎晩 |
maiban |
every night |
Time Words
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
いつ |
itsu |
when |
今 |
ima |
now |
今から |
imakara |
from now on |
先ほど |
sakihodo |
a little while ago |
さっき |
sakki |
a little while ago |
もうすぐ |
mōsugu |
very soon |
後で |
atode |
later |
後ほど |
nochihodo |
later on |
昔 |
mukashi |
long ago, old times |
未来 |
mirai |
future |
過去 |
kako |
past |
現在 |
genzai |
present |
暫く |
shibaraku |
for a while |
常に |
tsuneni |
always |
時々 |
tokidoki |
sometimes |
たまに |
tamani |
occasionally |
滅多に |
mettani |
rarely |
全く |
mattaku |
completely, not at all |
一生 |
isshō |
lifetime |
時代 |
jidai |
era, period |
期限 |
kigen |
deadline |
予定 |
yotei |
schedule |
期間 |
kikan |
period of time |
永久 |
eikyū |
eternity |
永遠 |
eien |
eternity |
早く |
hayaku |
early |
遅く |
osoku |
late |
直ぐに |
suguni |
immediately |
同時に |
dōjini |
at the same time |
既に |
sudeni |
already |
まだ |
mada |
yet, still |
やがて |
yagate |
eventually |
そのうち |
sonouchi |
eventually |
しばらくして |
shibarakushite |
after a while |
たとえ |
tatoe |
even if |
過ごす |
sugosu |
to spend (time) |
間に合う |
ma ni au |
to be on time |
遅れる |
okureru |
to be late |
待つ |
matsu |
to wait |
終わる |
owaru |
to finish |
始まる |
hajimaru |
to begin |
続く |
tsuzuku |
to continue |
経つ |
tatsu |
to pass (time) |
時刻 |
jikoku |
time (exact) |
時期 |
jiki |
season, time of year |
時間割 |
jikanwari |
timetable, schedule |
時差 |
jisa |
time difference |
瞬間 |
shunkan |
moment |
暇 |
hima |
free time |
余裕 |
yoyū |
spare time |
定刻 |
teikoku |
fixed time, scheduled time |
最終 |
saishū |
last, final |
最初 |
saisho |
first, beginning |
途中 |
tochū |
on the way, in the middle of |
Periods and Eras
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
世紀 |
seiki |
century |
年代 |
nendai |
decade |
頃 |
koro |
approx. time, around |
時代 |
jidai |
era, period |
新時代 |
shin jidai |
new era |
古代 |
kodai |
ancient times |
中世 |
chūsei |
Middle Ages |
近代 |
kindai |
modern times |
現代 |
gendai |
present age, modern times |
未来 |
mirai |
future |
過去 |
kako |
past |
Time Expression and Idioms
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
間に合う |
ma ni au |
to be on time |
間に合わせる |
ma ni awaseru |
to make it on time |
間に合わない |
ma ni awanai |
to not be on time |
時間がかかる |
jikan ga kakaru |
to take time |
時間をかける |
jikan o kakeru |
to spend time |
時が経つのは早い |
toki ga tatsu no wa hayai |
Time flies |
時を忘れる |
toki o wasureru |
to lose track of time |
時代遅れ |
jidai okure |
old-fashioned, outdated |
時間切れ |
jikan gire |
out of time |
暇つぶし |
hima tsubushi |
killing time |
Miscellaneous Time Words
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
毎日 |
mainichi |
every day |
毎年 |
maitoshi |
every year |
毎朝 |
maiasa |
every morning |
毎晩 |
maiban |
every night |
毎月 |
maitsuki |
every month |
毎週 |
maishū |
every week |
毎回 |
maikai |
every time |
何時 |
nanji |
what time? |
何日 |
nan'nichi |
what day? |
何曜日 |
nan'yōbi |
what day of the week? |
何時頃 |
nanji goro |
around what time? |
いつ頃 |
itsu goro |
around when? |
いつでも |
itsudemo |
anytime |
いつか |
itsuka |
someday |
いつまでも |
itsumademo |
forever |
常に |
tsuneni |
always |
絶えず |
taezu |
constantly |
頻繁に |
hinpan ni |
frequently |
どんどん |
dondon |
rapidly |
すぐに |
sugu ni |
immediately |
あとで |
atode |
later |
さきほど |
sakihodo |
a little while ago |
前 |
mae |
before |
後 |
ato |
after |
以前 |
izen |
before |
以後 |
igo |
after |
以降 |
ikō |
from now on, after |
以来 |
irai |
since |
終わるまで |
owaru made |
until the end |
始まるまで |
hajimaru made |
until the beginning |
終わった後 |
owatta ato |
after it's over |
始まる前 |
hajimaru mae |
before it begins |
ちょうど |
chōdo |
exactly, just |
ほぼ |
hobo |
almost |
約 |
yaku |
approximately |
ほとんど |
hotondo |
almost |
暫く |
shibaraku |
for a while |
ずっと |
zutto |
for a long time |
最近 |
saikin |
recently |
近頃 |
chikagoro |
recently |
この頃 |
konogoro |
recently |
つい |
tsui |
just, just a little while ago |
今に |
ima ni |
someday |
いまごろ |
imagoro |
around now |
そのうち |
sonouchi |
eventually |
やがて |
yagate |
eventually |
間もなく |
mamonaku |
soon |
そろそろ |
sorosoro |
it's about time |
久しぶり |
hisashiburi |
a long time no see |
一日中 |
ichinichijū |
all day long |
一年中 |
ichinenjū |
all year long |
一晩中 |
hitoban'jū |
all night long |
一生 |
isshō |
lifetime |
永い |
nagai |
long (time) |
短い |
mijikai |
short (time) |
早い |
hayai |
fast, early |
遅い |
osoi |
slow, late |
忙しい |
isogashii |
busy |
暇 |
hima |
free (time) |
余裕 |
yoyū |
time to spare |
期限 |
kigen |
deadline |
予定 |
yotei |
schedule |
計画 |
keikaku |
plan |
日程 |
nittei |
daily schedule |
スケジュール |
sukejūru |
schedule |
タイムリミット |
taimu rimito |
time limit |
タイムオーバー |
taimu ōbā |
time over |
タイム |
taimu |
time |
タイムラグ |
taimu ragu |
time lag |
時代遅れ |
jidaiokure |
old-fashioned |
時間切れ |
jikan'gire |
out of time |
タイムリー |
taimurī |
timely |
一瞬 |
isshun |
a moment |
刹那 |
setsuna |
a moment |
瞬間 |
shunkan |
a moment |
途端に |
totan ni |
just as, as soon as |
漸く |
yōyaku |
at last |
やっと |
yatto |
at last |
とうとう |
tōtō |
finally |
ついに |
tsuini |
finally |
終に |
tsuini |
finally |
果たして |
hatashite |
as expected, really |
まず |
mazu |
first of all |
最初に |
saisho ni |
at first |
最後に |
saigo ni |
at last |
その後 |
sono ato |
after that |
それから |
sorekara |
and then |
そして |
soshite |
and then |
ときに |
toki ni |
sometimes |
一時 |
ichiji |
for a time, temporarily |
永遠に |
eien ni |
eternally |
永久に |
eikyū ni |
eternally |
Mastering Japanese time vocabulary is a key step toward sounding natural and fluent in daily communication. With these 320+ essential words, you can schedule meetings, describe your routine, or discuss past and future events with ease.
=> Visit the Mizii website or download the Mizii app from the App Store or Google Play today and start learn Japanese time vocabulary!
>> Read more:
- Japanese Shopping Vocabulary: 330+ Must-Know Words
- Japanese Transportation Vocabulary: 250+ Essential Words
- Japanese Office Vocabulary: 140+ Useful Business Words
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