Translation guide
Ways to express 'idle time' in Japanese, covering free time, downtime, and periods of inactivity.
Time when you are not busy and can do what you want.
The most common word for free time. Can also mean 'having nothing to do' or 'being bored'.
暇な時に映画を見ます。
I watch movies in my free time.
Are you free today?
Literally 'empty time', used for gaps in a schedule.
I read during my free time (between appointments).
Formal term for leisure time, often used in surveys or official contexts.
We conducted a survey on how people spend their leisure time.
Short periods of inactivity, often unplanned, like waiting or having nothing to do.
In business or computing, time when a machine or worker is not productive.
Do not directly translate 'idle time' as アイドル時間 or 怠惰な時間. Use the natural expressions above depending on context.
暇 (hima) is general free time or boredom. 空き時間 (akijikan) specifically refers to gaps in a schedule, like between classes or meetings.
a free weekend
free time between classes
Describes the feeling of having nothing to do with your hands or being at a loose end.
The wait was so long I didn't know what to do with myself.
During the holidays, I have too much idle time.
Analyze machine idle time.