noun, adverb
Refers to an extremely short period of time, often used in literary or dramatic contexts. Can function as a noun or adverbially with に.
from Sanskrit kṣaṇa
彼女の表情が刹那に変わった。
Her expression changed in an instant.
その刹那、何が起こったのか理解できなかった。
In that moment, I couldn't understand what had happened.
noun
kshana; shortest possible interval of time
Buddhist term for the smallest unit of time, originally defined as the duration of a single mental event (about 1/75 second). Rare outside specialized contexts.
仏教では、刹那は心の一瞬の動きを表す単位とされる。
In Buddhism, kshana is considered a unit representing a single momentary movement of the mind.
瞬間 is the common, everyday word for 'moment' or 'instant'. 刹那 is more literary and emphasizes extreme brevity, often with a dramatic or philosophical nuance.
一瞬 is similar to 瞬間 but often used adverbially as 一瞬で or 一瞬にして. 刹那 carries a heavier, more poetic weight and is less frequent in casual speech.
Borrowed from Sanskrit kṣaṇa via Buddhist texts. The kanji 刹 (setsu) and 那 (na) are used phonetically (ateji) to represent the sound. The original Buddhist meaning refers to an extremely short unit of time.