束つかの間ま

つ

か

の

ま

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

expression, noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

moment; brief time; fleeting instant

Describes a very short period of time, often with a poetic or emotional nuance of transience. Commonly used as a noun or with の to modify another noun.

つかの間まの休きゅう息そくを楽たのしんだ。

I enjoyed a brief moment of rest.

その幸しあわせは束つかの間まだった。

That happiness was fleeting.

Kanji

間interval, space
束bundle, sheaf, ream

Related words

瞬しゅん間かんN3
瞬間 is a neutral, everyday word for 'moment' or 'instant', while 束の間 carries a stronger nuance of transience and is often used in literary or emotional contexts.
一いち時じN4
一時 can also mean 'a short time' or 'temporarily' and is often used adverbially (一時的に), whereas 束の間 has a more poetic, fleeting feel.
一いっ瞬しゅんN3
一瞬 emphasizes an extremely brief instant almost like a flash, while 束の間 stresses the wistful brevity of a period that still had some duration.
ひとときN1
つかの間 and ひととき both mean a brief span of time, but つかの間 stresses how fleeting it is, while ひととき can also carry a pleasant or nostalgic feel.
刹せつ那な
束の間 describes a fleeting span of time that still has a slight duration, while 刹那 stresses an instant so brief it is almost point-like.

Opposites

永えい遠えんN3
永遠 means 'eternity' or 'forever', standing in direct contrast to 束の間's sense of a brief, fleeting moment.

Written forms

束つかの間まUsage52%
Full kanji spelling; high priority.
つかの間まUsage28%
Common mixed kanji-kana spelling; high priority.
つかのまUsage20%
ツカノマUsage<1%

Etymology

束 here denotes an old short unit of length measured by the breadth of four fingers. 束の間 consequently means an interval as short as that measure.