The Meaning of tsukanoma [束の間] In Japanese

束の間
つかのま
Romaji: tsukanoma N4

What does 束の間 mean?

Translation and Meaning

a moment, a brief period, a short while

Definition

束の間 denotes a fleeting interval, a momentary duration that passes quickly; it’s used to describe something that lasts only for a short time, typically in literary or reflective writing.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • fleeting nature: a momentary lapse or pause in time
  • transient impression or feeling, often used in prose to set atmosphere

Etymology

束 bundle; 間 interval; a native compound whose meaning arises from the image of a compressed interval, read in kun’yomi as tsukanoma.

Composition

  • 束 bundle; a cluster held together
  • 間 interval; a gap or duration
  • the combination conveys a short, compressed span of time

Usage

Used in written and spoken Japanese to denote a fleeting moment; common in literary, formal, and reflective contexts; not typically used for precise timing and it often anchors a clause describing what happened during that short period.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine tying a handful of moments into a small bundle; as long as the ties hold, the moment exists, and once they are loosened, it vanishes quickly.

Variations

  • 一瞬 (いっしゅん) isshun
  • 短い間 (みじかいあいだ) mijikai aida

Example Phrases

  • 束の間、携帯を忘れて静かな公園で読書した。
    Tsuka no ma, keitai o wasurete shizuka na kouen de dokusho shita.
    For a brief moment, I forgot my phone and read in a quiet park.
    Lista:
    • 束の間 (tsuka no ma) – for a moment
    • 携帯 (keitai) – cell phone
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 忘れて (wasurete) – forgetting
    • 静かな (shizuka na) – quiet
    • 公園 (kouen) – park
    • で (de) – in
    • 読書した (dokusho shita) – read
    短い時間を表す名詞句で、動作が一時的であることを示します。「束の間」。
束の間