短時間 vs 長時間: How to Express Short and Long Periods of Time in Japanese

2019年7月24日2026年4月30日

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Yuka

I want to say ‘it only takes a short time’ in Japanese but I’m not sure whether to use 短時間 or 少し. What’s the right word?

Rei

短時間 (tanjikan) and 長時間 (choujikan) are the go-to words for short and long periods of time in Japanese. They’re practical, widely used, and work in both casual and formal contexts!

When describing how long something takes, 短時間 (たんじかん / tanjikan) and 長時間 (ちょうじかん / choujikan) are two of the most useful compound nouns in Japanese. They turn up in everyday speech, business communication, and formal writing alike.

Word	Reading	Meaning
短時間	たんじかん (tanjikan)	A short time / a brief period
長時間	ちょうじかん (choujikan)	A long time / an extended period
短	みじか (mijika) / たん (tan)	Short (kanji element)
長	なが (naga) / ちょう (chou)	Long (kanji element)

TOC

短時間 (たんじかん): A Short Time

短時間 describes a brief period of time. It highlights that something happens or is accomplished quickly or in a short window. It’s used as a noun or modifier.

Japanese	English
短時間で終わった。	It was finished in a short time.
短時間でできる料理。	A dish you can make in a short time.
短時間の休憩。	A brief break.
短時間に多くを学んだ。	I learned a lot in a short time.
短時間勤務。	Short-hours work / part-time hours.

In business contexts, 短時間勤務 (short-hours employment) is an important term — often used for employees with reduced working hours due to childcare or health reasons.

Yuka

So 短時間 works as a noun phrase I can slot into different sentence structures?

Rei

Exactly! 短時間で (in a short time), 短時間の (brief, short-time), 短時間に (within a short time) — the particle tells you the relationship.

長時間 (ちょうじかん): A Long Time

長時間 describes an extended or prolonged period. It often carries a nuance of endurance, dedication, or — negatively — overwork or strain.

Japanese	English
長時間働いた。	I worked for a long time.
長時間のフライト。	A long-haul flight.
長時間労働は体に悪い。	Long working hours are bad for your health.
長時間かけて完成した。	It took a long time to complete.
長時間運転。	Long-distance / extended driving.

長時間労働 (long working hours) is a significant social issue in Japan — often discussed in the context of karoshi (過労死 / death from overwork) and work-life balance reform.

Yuka

長時間労働 sounds serious — it’s a social issue in Japan?

Rei

Very much so. Japan has been working on reducing 長時間労働 as part of work-style reform (働き方改革 / hatarakikata kaikaku). It’s a word you’ll hear in news and discussions about Japanese workplace culture.

Useful Time-Period Compounds

Japanese	Reading	Meaning
短時間	たんじかん	Short time
長時間	ちょうじかん	Long time
短期間	たんきかん	Short period (days/weeks)
長期間	ちょうきかん	Long period (months/years)
短期	たんき	Short term
長期	ちょうき	Long term

Quick Quiz

短時間 or 長時間?

1. ___で覚えられるコツを教えてください。(Please tell me tips I can learn in a short time.)
2. ___のデスクワークで肩が痛い。(My shoulder hurts from long hours at a desk.)
3. ___休憩の後、また頑張ろう。(After a brief break, let’s do our best again.)

Answers: 1. 短時間 2. 長時間 3. 短時間

Summary

Word	Meaning	Key Phrase
短時間	Brief period	短時間で完成
長時間	Extended period	長時間労働

Yuka

短時間でたくさん学べた！これからも長時間勉強し続けます！

Rei

Perfect usage of both — and that dedication will get you far! 長時間の努力は必ず実を結ぶ。Long hours of effort always bear fruit.

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