Translation guide
Describes something that stops and starts at irregular intervals, not continuous. In Japanese, this is expressed through adjectives, adverbs, and descriptive phrases depending on whether you're talking about rain, pain, work, or other phenomena.
To describe something that occurs in an on-and-off manner, with pauses in between.
A standard adjective meaning 'intermittent' or 'discontinuous'. Used for a wide range of phenomena like rain, noise, or signals.
Intermittent rain fell all day.
I can hear intermittent noise.
Similar to 断続的, but often used in technical or medical contexts (e.g., intermittent fever). Slightly more formal.
Intermittent fever persists.
Describes something that is fragmented or comes in fits and starts, like a conversation or a signal. Often used adverbially.
The conversation continued intermittently.
To describe a state or action that occurs sporadically, with periods of absence.
The most common way to say 'sometimes' or 'occasionally'. While not a direct translation of 'intermittent', it often conveys the same idea in natural Japanese.
There will be intermittent rain.
Adverbial form of 断続的. Used to modify verbs to mean 'intermittently'.
It rained intermittently.
Onomatopoeic word for sporadic, scattered occurrences, often used for rain beginning to fall or people arriving one by one.
To describe work, employment, or effort that is not steady or full-time.
To describe pain or medical symptoms that come and go.
断続的 (だんぞくてき) is the general term for intermittent, while 間欠的 (かんけつてき) is more technical and often used in medical or scientific contexts. In everyday speech, 断続的 is more common.
While 時々 (ときどき) means 'sometimes', it is often the most natural way to express 'intermittent' in Japanese, especially for weather, pain, or other common situations. Direct translations like 断続的 can sound stiff in casual conversation.
The radio sound is intermittent.
The pain is intermittent.
雨がぽつぽつ降り始めた。
Intermittent rain started to fall.
I have intermittent abdominal pain.