Word
休憩
Meaning in Englishbreak, rest, intermission
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
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.
Main 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
How to use it
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.
Variants and close terms
- 休憩 — rest; romaji kyūkei
- 休み — rest/day off; romaji yasumi
- ブレイク — break; romaji bureiku
- 休止 — pause; romaji kyūshi
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
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.
Word class
noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N1
産休
sankyuu
maternity leave
N1
休学
kyuugaku
temporary absence from school, suspension
N1
休戦
kyuusen
truce, armistice
N1
連休
renkyuu
consecutive holidays
N1
休める
yasumeru
to rest, to suspend, to give relief
N2
お休み
oyasumi
holiday, absence; (exp.) Good night
N2
休業
kyuugyou
closure, shutdown, holiday
N2
休講
kyuukou
lecture canceled
N2
休養
kyuuyou
rest, break, recreation
Kanji