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
N2
定休日
teikyuubi
regular holiday
N2
一休み
hitoyasumi
a rest
N3
休暇
kyuuka
vacation, leave, holiday
N3
休息
kyuusoku
rest, relaxation, relief
N4
昼休み
hiruyasumi
lunch break, noon recess
N5
休みます
yasumimasu
rest
N5
休み
yasumi
rest, day off, holiday
N5
休みの日
yasumi no hi
day off, free day
N5
夏休み
natsuyasumi
summer vacation
Kanji