Translation guide
Describes events or actions that occur irregularly, at scattered intervals, without a fixed pattern. Japanese uses various adverbs, adjectives, and verbs to convey this idea depending on the context.
Describing events that happen occasionally and unpredictably, not continuously or regularly.
A common adjective meaning 'sporadic' or 'scattered', used for events like rain, protests, or incidents that occur here and there without pattern.
Sporadic rain is falling.
Sporadic protests are continuing.
Means 'intermittent' or 'on-and-off', often used for things that stop and start repeatedly, like rain or noise.
Intermittent rain fell all day.
Means 'sometimes' or 'occasionally'. A simple, everyday adverb for sporadic occurrences.
I hear from him sporadically.
Means 'once in a while' or 'rarely', implying less frequency than 時々. Casual.
I go to the movies sporadically.
An onomatopoeic adverb suggesting scattered, sporadic occurrences, like raindrops or isolated incidents. Often used in casual speech.
It started raining sporadically.
Describing things that are spread out irregularly over an area, not clustered together.
A verb meaning 'to be scattered' or 'dotted', used for physical objects like houses, trees, or stars.
Houses are scattered sporadically around the lake.
Similar to 点在する, meaning 'scattered here and there', often for abstract things like opinions or problems.
An adjective meaning 'sparse' or 'thinly scattered', used for distribution of objects or attendance.
The audience was sporadic/sparse.
散発的 emphasizes irregular, scattered occurrences without a pattern, while 断続的 focuses on something that stops and starts repeatedly. For rain, 散発的 suggests occasional showers, while 断続的 suggests on-and-off rain throughout a period.
sporadic showers
intermittent rain
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'sporadic'. Choose the expression based on whether you mean irregular timing, scattered distribution, or infrequent occurrence. Using 散発的 for sparse physical distribution may sound unnatural; use 点在する or まばら instead.
Problems are sporadically scattered across the region.