Refers to a brief period of rest or a pause in activity. Often used in literary or slightly formal contexts.
I got a short break between tasks and had a coffee.
There was a lull even on the battlefield, and the soldiers took a brief rest.
休憩 is the common word for a break or rest, while 少閑 is more literary and emphasizes brevity.
小休止 also means a short break, but is more common in everyday speech than 少閑.
Most common kanji spelling for 'short break' or 'lull'.
Variant spelling; 小 also means 'small', but 少閑 is more standard.
Rare variant; 関 is not typical for this meaning and may be an ateji or error.
Compound of 少 (little, few) and 閑 (leisure, calm). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of a short rest.