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.
病院での待ち時間が長かった。
The waiting time at the hospital was long.
Means 'free time' or 'idle time', often with a nuance of having nothing to do.
電車の中で暇な時間を持て余した。
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.
会議の準備不足で無駄な時間が発生した。
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.
サーバーのダウンタイムを最小限に抑える必要がある。
We need to minimize server downtime.
Formal term for 'suspension time' or 'idle time', often used in technical or operational contexts.
機械の休止時間を記録してください。
Please record the machine's idle time.
Technical term for 'idle time' of equipment or resources. Used in engineering and manufacturing.
工場の遊休時間を減らすことが課題だ。
Reducing factory idle time is a challenge.
A pause or break in play, such as timeouts or between periods.
Means 'interruption time' or 'suspension time'. Used for breaks in sports or events.
試合の中断時間に選手は水分補給をした。
During the dead time in the match, the players hydrated.
Short for 'timeout'. Common in sports contexts.
監督がタイムを取った。
The coach called a timeout.
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.