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Grammar detail: 間 - あいだ vs ま vs かん
間 - あいだ vs ま vs かん
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間 is a very common kanji (in fact, the 21st most common in Japanese), and it is encountered very early in any Japanese course. Each of its four Joyo readings (カン, ケン, あいだ and ま) are all typically introduced relatively early on. The on yomi are typically introduced as part of the very common words
じかん
時間
(time), and にんげん
人間
(human being). But what about the kun yomi, あいだ and ま? Both appear to have similar meanings, so when should you use one or the other?The basic guidelines are as follows:
- あいだ is typically used when describing a literal time interval or physical space between things
- ま is often used when the distinction is more figurative, in particular such as a period of time
- あいだ is used when describing something that happens during something else
- both ま and あいだ are used in specific set phrases, such as ま間をお置く,ま間にあ合う orなが長いあいだ間
- かん is generally used when 間 is attached as a suffix, such as in いっしゅうかん一週間(one week long),こっかかん国家間(trans-national),がっこうかん学校間(intra-school) orゆうじんかん友人間(between friends), meaning for ~ long, inter-, trans- or between etc
Below we provide examples of each of these cases.
In these sentences, the space / interval / room described has an actual physical presence:
In the set phrase
なが
長
いあいだ
間
(a long time), the あいだ reading is used:In the following examples, the interval described relates to time. The latter two use the common set phrase
ま
間
をお
置
く, which means literally 'to put an interval' - to insert a pause (in a conversation etc.):Sometimes the distinction is not very clear, and in these situations both ま and あいだ may be appropriate. あいだ will give a more literal tone, ま will suggest a bigger, more figurative sense.
When the context is a period of time during which something occurred, rather than an interval between things, あいだ would be appropriate.
Here are some examples of 間 used as a suffix and read かん:
One final note: the けん reading of 間 is only used as part of specific words, such as
にんげん
人間
(human).Kanji used in this grammar
セイ ショウ life なま raw いかす to enliven いきる to live いける to arrange flowers うまれる to be born うむ to give birth to き pure, undiluted おう to grow, to sprout はえる to grow, to sprout はやす to grow, cultivate
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