What is the Kanji for "Time" and "Hour"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Time" and "Hour", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Time" and "Hour" is "時".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Toki".

Its onyomi reading is "Ji".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "日" means "Day" and "Sun" and can be read as "Jitsu", "Nichi", "Hi", and "Ka". And The kanji "寺" means "Temple" and can be read as "Ji" and "Tera".

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "時" mean in japanese?

"時" means "Time" and "Hour".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N5 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

時々: "Sometimes". The adverb '時々 (ときどき)' means 'sometimes'. It is used to indicate that an action or event occurs occasionally or sporadically, not regularly or frequently. For example: I sometimes go to the park - (私は時々公園に行きます). She visits her grandparents sometimes - (彼女は時々祖父母を訪れます).

時: "Time". The Japanese noun '時 (とき)' means 'time'. It refers to a particular moment, period, or point in time. This word can be used to talk about the current time, a specific time in the past or future, or a duration of time. For example: What time is it? - (何時ですか). I'll see you at 3 o'clock - (3時に会いましょう). I've been waiting for a long time - (長い時間待っていた).

時間: "Time". The Japanese noun '時間 (じかん)' means 'time'. It refers to a measured period, duration or span. This word can be used to talk about the time of day, the length of an event, or the general concept of time. For example: What time is it? - (何時ですか) I don't have enough time - (時間が足りません)

時代: "Era". The Japanese noun '時代 (じだい)' refers to a particular period of history, an era or age. It can be used to describe a specific point in time marked by distinct cultural, political, or social characteristics. For example: The Edo period was a significant era in Japanese history - (江戸時代は日本の歴史で重要な時代でした).

何時: "When". The pronoun '何時 (いつ)' means 'when'. It is used to ask about or inquire about a specific time or moment. It can be used in questions such as '何時に来ますか?' (When will you come?) or statements like '彼は何時に起きるでしょうか?' (I wonder when he will wake up). This word is very commonly used in Japanese conversation and writing.

当時: "Time". The noun '当時 (とうじ)' means 'time' and refers to a specific period in the past. It is often used to indicate a particular moment or era being discussed. For example: At that time, I was still in college - (当時、私はまだ大学に通っていました). The sales were high at that time - (当時、売上は高かった).

同時: "Simultaneous". The noun '同時 (どうじ)' means 'simultaneous'. It refers to two or more events, actions or situations happening at the same time. This word is often used to describe events that occur at the exact same moment, without any time delay between them. For example: They arrived at the station at the same time - (彼らは同時に駅に到着した). The two performances took place simultaneously - (その2つのパフォーマンスは同時に行われた).

時期: "Time". The Japanese noun '時期 (じき)' means 'time'. This word is used to refer to a specific period, occasion, or moment. It can be used to describe the timing or duration of events, activities, or processes. For example: The best time to visit is early spring - (最適な時期は初春です). This year's busy season is approaching - (今年の繁忙期が近づいています).

目覚まし時計: "Alarm clock". The Japanese noun '目覚まし時計 (めざましどけい)' refers to an alarm clock, a device used to wake someone up at a specific time. Alarm clocks are commonly used to ensure people wake up in the morning for work, school, or other activities. For example: I set my alarm clock to wake me up at 7am - (私は7時に目覚めるよう目覚まし時計をかけた).

時点: "Point in time". The noun '時点 (じてん)' refers to a specific point or moment in time. It is used to indicate a particular date, hour, or other temporal landmark. For example: As of this point in time - (この時点で). At the time point of the incident - (事件のあった時点で).

時計: "Clock" or "Watch". The Japanese word '時計 (とけい)' can refer to both a clock and a watch. As a clock, it means a device that displays the time, often found in homes, offices, and public places. As a watch, it means a portable timekeeping device worn on the wrist. Some example sentences: What time is it on the clock? - (時計は何時ですか). I need to check the time on my watch. - (腕時計の時間を確認する必要があります).

腕時計: "Watch". The Japanese noun '腕時計 (うでどけい)' refers to a timepiece worn on the wrist. It is a common accessory used to keep track of the time. Watches can come in various styles, materials, and functions, such as analog, digital, or smartwatch. For example: I'm wearing a new watch - (新しい腕時計を付けている). She has a beautiful watch - (彼女は素敵な腕時計を持っている).

一時: "Temporarily". The adverb '一時 (いちじ)' means 'temporarily'. It is used to describe something that is happening or lasting for a short period of time. For example: I am staying here temporarily - (私はここに一時滞在しています). She works here temporarily - (彼女はここで一時的に働いています).

時差: "Time difference". The noun '時差 (じさ)' means 'time difference'. It refers to the discrepancy in time between two different locations, often due to different time zones. This concept is important when planning travel or communicating across different regions. For example: There is a 12 hour time difference between Tokyo and London - (東京とロンドンの時差は12時間です). The time difference made it difficult to schedule a meeting - (時差のため会議の日程調整が難しかった).

時間割り: "Schedule". The noun '時間割り (じかんわり)' refers to a schedule or timetable, especially one that outlines the times and order of different activities or events. It is commonly used to describe a school or work schedule. For example: What's your schedule for today? - (今日のあなたの時間割りは何ですか). My class schedule is really full this semester - (今学期の私のクラスの時間割りがとても混雑しています).

時速: "Speed". The Japanese noun '時速 (じそく)' means 'speed'. It refers to the rate of motion or the distance traveled per unit of time, usually measured in kilometers or miles per hour. This term is commonly used when discussing the speed of vehicles, objects, or even people. For example: The car's top speed is 160 km/h - (その車の最高時速は160キロメートルです). The runner's speed was incredible - (その走り手の時速はすばらしかった).

時給: "Hourly wage". The Japanese noun '時給 (じきゅう)' refers to the amount of money a person is paid for each hour of work. It is commonly used to express how much an employee earns per hour. For example: I earn 1,200 yen per hour - (私の時給は1,200円です). My hourly wage is 1,500 yen - (私の時給は1,500円です).

時刻: "Time". The noun '時刻 (じこく)' refers to a specific point in time, such as a particular hour and minute. It is used to indicate the precise moment when something occurs or when an event takes place. For example: What time is it? - (何時ですか). The train will depart at 6:30 - (列車は6時30分に出発します).

日時: "Date" or "Time". The Japanese noun '日時 (にちじ)' means 'date' or 'time'. This word is used to refer to a specific point in time, typically a calendar date or clock time. It can be used in formal or official contexts to specify when an event or activity will take place. For example: What is the date and time of the meeting? - (会議の日時はいつですか。) The reception will be held on November 15th at 7pm. - (レセプションは11月15日の午後7時に行われます。)

臨時: "Temporary". The Japanese noun '臨時 (りんじ)' means 'temporary'. This word is used to describe something that is not permanent, but rather a short-term or provisional arrangement. It can be used to refer to temporary jobs, emergency situations, or other transient circumstances. For example: The company hired temporary workers - (会社は臨時の労働者を雇った). This is a temporary exhibition - (これは臨時の展示会です).

時折: "Occasionally". The adverb '時折 (ときおり)' means 'occasionally'. It is used to indicate that something happens infrequently or at irregular intervals. For example: I occasionally go to the park - (私は時折公園に行く). She occasionally forgets to bring her umbrella - (彼女は時折傘を忘れる).

何時頃: "Around what time". The Japanese noun '何時頃 (いつごろ)' refers to 'around what time' or 'approximately what time'. It is used to ask about the general timeframe of an event or activity, without needing to specify the exact time. For example: What time do you usually have dinner? - (晩ご飯はいつごろ食べますか?). Around 7 o'clock - (7時頃).

戦時: "Wartime". The Japanese noun '戦時 (せんじ)' refers to the period of time during which a war is taking place. It can be used to describe various aspects of life and activities that are influenced or shaped by the ongoing state of war. For example: The government implemented strict rationing policies during wartime - (政府は戦時中、厳しい配給制を実施した). Wartime production - (戦時生産)

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "じ" is read as "ji". The hiragana "と" is read as "to". And The hiragana "き" is read as "ki".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.