Translation guide
In Japanese, the concept of a 'time-out' is expressed differently depending on context: a break in sports, a pause in games/apps, a disciplinary measure for children, or a technical timeout in computing. The most common term is タイムアウト, borrowed from English, but native words like 休憩 or 中断 are used for general breaks.
A short break called by a team or official during a game.
Direct loanword from English, widely used in sports contexts.
監督がタイムアウトを取った。
The coach called a time-out.
Shortened form, common in casual sports talk.
タイム！ちょっと集まろう。
Time-out! Let's huddle up.
A temporary stop in a video game, app, or activity.
Literally 'temporary stop', used for pausing games or media.
ゲームを一時停止する。
I'll pause the game.
Interruption or suspension, often used for longer pauses.
A parenting technique where a child is briefly isolated to calm down.
The English term is often used in parenting contexts, sometimes explained as 'time-out'.
子供にタイムアウトを与える。
Give the child a time-out.
Literally 'time to make them reflect', a more descriptive Japanese phrase.
悪いことをしたら、反省させる時間を設ける。
If they do something bad, set aside time for them to reflect.
A period of inactivity after which a session or connection is terminated.
Standard technical term in IT.
接続がタイムアウトになりました。
The connection timed out.
Literally 'out of time', used in some technical contexts but less precise.
While タイムアウト is common in sports and IT, using it for a simple break (like a coffee break) sounds unnatural. Use 休憩 (きゅうけい) or 一休み (ひとやすみ) instead.
作業を中断して休憩しよう。
Let's take a break and pause our work.
セッションが時間切れで切断された。
The session was disconnected due to timeout.