The Meaning of kyūkei [休憩] In Japanese

休憩
きゅうけい
Romaji: kyūkei N5

What does 休憩 mean?

Translation and Meaning

break, rest

Definition

休憩 means a short pause or break to rest or refresh during work or activity. It denotes a designated interval in which people stop working to recover energy and regain focus.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • primary sense: a short rest or pause during work or activity
  • secondary sense: a scheduled break in a timetable or shift pattern
  • nuance: a formal term used in workplaces, schools, and public facilities to indicate rest time

Etymology

休 rest + 憩 repose; the compound conveys a designated rest period used in Japanese to denote a pause in activity; the word is read kyūkei in on’yomi.

Composition

  • 休 — rest; the left radical is 亻 (person) and 木 (tree), suggesting a person taking a rest beside a tree
  • 憩 — repose; conveys leisure or relief from activity; used in related terms like 憩い

Usage

Used as a noun in formal and informal contexts to denote a break during work, study, or travel. Commonly paired with verbs like 取る to indicate taking a break, or used in schedules and notices to mark break times. In workplaces and schools, it indicates a planned pause for refreshment.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture a person leaning on a tree to rest (休) with 憩 adding the sense of repose; the two-kanji combo encodes a planned pause to refresh.

Variations

  • 休憩 — rest; romaji kyūkei
  • 休み — rest/day off; romaji yasumi
  • ブレイク — break; romaji bureiku
  • 休止 — pause; romaji kyūshi

Example Phrases

  • 今日は勉強はこの程度にして、休憩します。
    Kyou wa benkyou wa kono teido ni shite, kyuukei shimasu.
    Today I’ll limit my studying to this extent and take a break.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyou wa) – today
    • 勉強は (benkyou wa) – studying (topic)
    • この (kono) – this
    • 程度にして (teido ni shite) – to this extent
    • 休憩します (kyuukei shimasu) – take a break
    The word 「程度」 marks a limit or extent; in this sentence, 程度にして means “to this extent” or “to this level”.
  • 私たちは交替で仕事を引き継ぎ、休憩も交互に取ります。
    watashitachi wa kōtai de shigoto o hikitsugimasu, kyūkei mo kōgo ni torimasu.
    We take turns handing over work and also take breaks in turn.
    Lista:
    • 私たちは (watashitachi wa) – direct translation in en
    • 交替で (kōtai de) – direct translation in en
    • 仕事を (shigoto o) – direct translation in en
    • 引き継ぎます (hikitsugimasu) – direct translation in en
    • 休憩も (kyūkei mo) – direct translation in en
    • 交互に (kōgo ni) – direct translation in en
    • 取ります (torimasu) – direct translation in en
    Here 「交替」 means taking turns; で marks the manner, indicating actions are done in turn.
  • 今日は 忙しくて 碌に 休憩も 取れずに 帰宅した。
    Kyou wa isogashikute roku ni kyuukei mo torezu ni kitaku shita.
    Today I was busy and couldn’t even take a proper break, so I went home.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyou wa) – today
    • 忙しくて (isogashikute) – being busy / so busy
    • 碌に (roku ni) – not properly
    • 休憩も (kyuukei mo) – break, too
    • 取れずに (torezu ni) – without being able to take
    • 帰宅した (kitaku shita) – went home
    The adverb 「碌に」 means ‘not properly / not adequately’ and is used with negative forms, as in 碌に休憩も取れずに.
  • 線路の横を 友達と 散歩してから カフェで 休憩する。
    Senro no yoko o tomodachi to sanpo shite kara kafe de kyūkei suru.
    I walk along the side of the railroad with a friend, then take a break at a cafe.
    Lista:
    • 線路の横を (senro no yoko o) – along the side of the railroad
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with a friend
    • 散歩してから (sanpo shite kara) – after walking
    • カフェで (kafe de) – at a cafe
    • 休憩する (kyuukei suru) – take a break
    Core grammar point: motion path marked with を after a location phrase; e.g., 「線路の横を」歩く means ‘to walk along the side of the railroad’.
  • 昼休みに 友達と 公園で 休憩を 取った。
    Hiru yasumi ni tomodachi to kouen de kyūkei o totta.
    During lunch break, I took a break with my friends at the park.
    Lista:
    • 昼休みに (hiru yasumi ni) – during lunch break
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with friends
    • 公園で (kouen de) – at the park
    • 休憩を (kyuukei o) – a break
    • 取った (totta) – took
    Here 「休憩」 is a noun meaning ‘a break’ and is used with を取る to express taking a break; 昼休みに marks the time.
休憩