間まを置おいて

also: あいだをおいて

Meanings

expression

intermittently; at intervals; after a pause

Used to describe actions or events that occur with pauses or gaps in between. Often appears in the form 間を置いて〜する or 間を置いて〜が起こる.

彼かれは間まを置おいて話はなし続つづけた。
He continued speaking after a pause.
雷かみなりが間まを置おいて鳴なった。
Thunder rumbled intermittently.

Written forms

間を置いて
- まをおいて
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading まをおいて is the most common.
- あいだをおいて
間あいだをおいて
Alternate reading; less common but still used. The kanji form is identical, but the reading differs.
あいだをおいて

Kanji

間interval, space
置placement, put, set

Similar words

時とき々どき
時々 means 'sometimes' or 'occasionally', implying irregular occurrence, while 間を置いて emphasizes the presence of intervals or pauses between actions.
断だん続ぞく的てき
断続的 is an adjective meaning 'intermittent' or 'discontinuous', often used in technical contexts, whereas 間を置いて is a more colloquial expression describing the manner of an action.

Etymology

A set phrase composed of 間 (interval, pause) + を (object marker) + 置いて (te-form of 置く, to put/place). Literally 'putting an interval', it has become a fixed expression meaning 'with intervals' or 'after a pause'.