Translation guide
The English phrase 'dead time' refers to unproductive or wasted time, often due to waiting, delays, or inactivity. In Japanese, there is no single direct equivalent; instead, various expressions describe idle time, downtime, or wasted time depending on context.
Time spent waiting or being idle when you could be doing something useful.
Literally 'waiting time'. A neutral, common term for any period spent waiting.
The waiting time at the hospital was long.
Means 'free time' or 'idle time', often with a nuance of having nothing to do.
I had idle time on the train and didn't know what to do with it.
Literally 'wasted time'. Emphasizes that the time was not used productively.
Wasted time occurred due to insufficient meeting preparation.
A period when a system, machine, or process is not operating or productive.
Loanword from English 'downtime'. Commonly used in business and IT contexts for system or operational downtime.
We need to minimize server downtime.
Formal term for 'suspension time' or 'idle time', often used in technical or operational contexts.
Technical term for 'idle time' of equipment or resources. Used in engineering and manufacturing.
A pause or break in play, such as timeouts or between periods.
The direct translation '死んだ時間' (shinda jikan) is not used in Japanese to mean unproductive time. It would be interpreted literally as 'dead time' (like time of death). Use the expressions above instead.
Please record the machine's idle time.
Reducing factory idle time is a challenge.
The coach called a timeout.