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Grammar detail: 一時 - いちじ、ひととき、いっとき

一時 - いちじ、ひととき、いっとき
227 words
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Most commonly, 一時 means simply 'one o' clock' - the time of day. When it carries this meaning, it is read as you'd expect using on-yomi as いちじ.
However, it can also carry a number of different meanings, with subtly different nuances, and when it does, two other readings come into play.
  • いちじ: entirely on-yomi
  • いっとき: on-yomi (いっ-) + kun-yomi (-とき). This is a so-called
    じゅうばこよみ
    重箱読み
    - a yomi consisting of a combination on-yomi and kun-yomi (in that order)
  • ひととき: entirely kun-yomi
There are very subtle differences in the nuances and contexts these three readings go well with.
  • いちじ is most formal. For example, it’s used as part of the set expression
    いちじていし
    一時停止
    meaning stop (as in a traffic sign) or pause (as in playing a video)
  • いっとき is less formal. Its general idea is “short period of time; temporary”. For example, it’s used in いっときの気の迷い (delusion of a moment) or いっときの辛抱 (a little patience). These usages are interchangeable with the yomi いちじ, but not with ひととき
  • ひととき is also less formal. Its general idea is basically the same with いっとき, but it has some flavor of sentiment (usually a positive one). For example, it’s used in 楽しいひととき (have a pleasant time) or ひとときの平和 (a transient peace)
Note that in Kanshudo we separate these usages into two dictionary entries:
2
noun (temporal) (jisoumeishi)
1. one o'clock
adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi), noun (temporal) (jisoumeishi)
2. once; at one time; formerly; before
(click the word to view an additional 2 meanings and 3 forms, examples and links)
0
Most common form: ひととき
noun (temporal) (jisoumeishi), adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi)
1. moment; a (short) time; a while  (often written with kana only)
2. former times  (often written with kana only; this meaning is restricted to reading ひととき)
(click the word to view an additional 1 reading, 1 meaning and 3 forms, examples and links)
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Kanji used in this grammar

イチ   イツ   ひと    ひと- one   
ジ   とき time, occasion   
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ジュウ   チョウ   おも heavy   かさなる to be piled up   かさねる to pile up   え -fold, -ply   
はこ box   
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ドク   トク   トウ   よ to read   
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テイ    halt   
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シ   とめる to stop   とまる to stop   
キ   ケ    spirit   
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メイ   perplexed   まよ to be perplexed   
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シン   から spicy   
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ホウ   だ to hug   いだ to hug   かかえる to carry, to hold (an object, a burden)   
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ガク   ラク    music   たのしい happy, pleasant   たのしむ to be happy   
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ヘイ   ビョウ   たい flat   ひら ordinary; flat   
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ワ   オ    peace, harmony   なご to be calmed down   なごやか calm, gentle   やわらぐ to be softened   やわらげる to soften; to alleviate   
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