暫
temporarily, a while, moment, long time
Readings
On'yomi
- ザン
Kun'yomi
- しばら.く
Meaning
暫 centers on a limited stretch of time: something temporary, lasting only a while or a moment. The sense of a long time is a natural extension when referring to a period that feels drawn out but is still finite.
Most common words using 暫
- 暫くしばらくN4
for a moment; for a minute
- 暫定ざんていN1
provisional; temporary; tentative; interim
- 暫ししばしN1
for a short while; for a brief period; soon; in a short while
- 暫時ざんじ
short while
- 国連レバノン暫定軍こくれんレバノンざんていぐん
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon; UNIFIL
- 暫くしてしばらくして
after a short time; presently
- 暫くするとしばらくすると
after a short time; in a short while; a short time later
- 暫くぶりしばらくぶり
a long time (since the last time)
- 暫且ざんしょ
short while
- 暫定予算ざんていよさん
provisional budget
- 暫定値ざんていち
provisional figure
- 暫定内閣ざんていないかく
caretaker government
- 暫定協定ざんていきょうてい
provisional agreement; modus vivendi
- 暫定措置ざんていそち
temporary step; stopgap measure
- 暫定政府ざんていせいふ
interim government; provisional government; caretaker government
- 暫定政権ざんていせいけん
interim government; provisional government; caretaker government
- 暫定案ざんていあん
provisional plan
- 暫定的ざんていてき
provisional; temporary; tentative; interim
- 暫定的耐容週間摂取量ざんていてきたいようしゅうかんせっしゅりょう
provisional tolerable weekly intake; PTWI
- 関税暫定措置法かんぜいざんていそちほう
Act on Temporary Measures concerning Customs
Study
Etymology
暫 combines 日 (sun/day) with 斬, which likely contributes the sound ザン. The idea of a temporary period may come from the sun being cut short or a day being limited.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 斬 suggests cutting, and the bottom 日 is a day. Picture a day being cut short, so it only lasts a while—just a temporary moment.
Reading mnemonic
For ザン, imagine a temporary pause in a long journey at a Zen garden: Zen -> ザン, and the brief rest is only for a moment.