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片時 (かたとき, katatoki) Japanese meaning: a moment | Kotomora

片かた時とき

か

た

と

き

JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

a moment; an instant

Almost always used with も in a negative sentence (〜も…ない) to mean 'not even for a moment'. The reading へんじ is archaic and not used in modern Japanese.

See also: 片時も

彼かれは片かた時ときもじっとし

て

い

られ

ない

。

He can't stay still even for a moment.

その光こう景けいを片かた時ときも忘わすれたことはない。

I have never forgotten that sight for a single moment.

Usage patterns

片かた時ときも〈動どう詞し〉ないnot even for a moment (doing something)
母ははのことを片かた時ときも忘わすれたことはない。
I have never forgotten my mother, not even for a moment.
〈人ひと〉と片かた時ときも離はなれないto not leave someone's side even for a moment
子こ供どもとは片かた時ときも離はなれずに過すごした。
I spent every moment without leaving my child's side.

Kanji

片one-sided, leaf, sheet
時time, hour

Related words

瞬しゅん間かんN3
瞬間 is a neutral word for 'moment' usable in both positive and negative sentences, while 片時 is almost always paired with も in negative sentences to stress 'not even briefly'.
一いち時じN4
一時 means 'a short time' or 'temporarily' without the negative-sentence restriction that 片時 carries.
一いっ瞬しゅんN3
一瞬 is a common, register-neutral word for 'an instant' that works in ordinary positive statements, whereas 片時 is a literary word mainly found in 〜も…ない patterns.

Word family

片かた時ときも
(not) even for a moment; (not) for an instant

Built from

片かた+時とき

Written forms

片時Usage100%
- かたとき
  Standard kanji spelling. The reading へんじ is rare and not used in modern Japanese.
- へんじ
へんじ

Etymology

片 (かた, 'one side' or 'fragment') + 時 (とき, 'time'), literally 'a fragment of time'. The reading かたとき is the standard modern form; へんじ is an archaic Sino-Japanese reading no longer in use.