Usage patterns 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 際さい に when (doing) ~; on the occasion of ~
Please check your passport when you depart.
〈 事こと 〉 の 際さい は in the event of ~; when it comes to ~
In case of an emergency, please press this button.
〈 事こと 〉 の 際さい の 〈 物もの 〉 the ~ (things, points, etc.) related to the occasion of ~
I summarized the points to note when moving.
Expressions その 際さい on that occasion; at that time; in that case 実じっ 際さい は in fact; actually; in reality; to tell the truth 際さい して on the occasion of; at the time of; when に 際さい して on the occasion of; at the time of; when Related words 時 is the plain, everyday word for 'when/time' usable in casual and formal speech, while 際 is more formal and typically appears in written or official contexts like 〜際に .
場合 describes a hypothetical or conditional situation ('in the case that...'), whereas 際 points to a concrete occasion or moment when something actually happens.
際 means 'on the occasion of' and points to the time of an event generally, while 間際 specifically highlights the last moment right before it happens.
Don't confuse with 際 (occasion, time) and 再 (again, re-) are pronounced identically as さい but have completely unrelated meanings, so learners must rely on context or kanji to tell them apart.
際 (occasion) and 才 (talent; counter for age) share the same さい reading but are unrelated in meaning, so they are often mixed up by beginners reading aloud.
際 read さい is the common formal suffix meaning 'occasion' (used in ~の際 , ~する際 ), while 際 read きわ is the older, more literal word for 'edge' or 'moment right before something'.
Word family· 23 reality; actuality; fact; truth · practice (as opposed to theory) · really; truly; indeed; actually · bhutakoti (limit of reality)
socializing; association; company · dating; romantic involvement
arrive; come to pass; happen
limits; end; bounds
one's social standing; one's place; one's station in life
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(not) ever; (not) at all; (not) on any account · deepest bottom of the earth
international · diplomatic intercourse; relations between states
horizon; skyline
horizon; where sky meets earth
in case of; at that time; at this time
meeting; facing; confronting
limits; boundary; end
on this occasion; now; in these circumstances; with this opportunity
friendly powers; treaty powers
international character; international flavor
infinite; boundless
See all 23 in Explore →
Written forms 際さい Usage 94%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency word in both written and spoken Japanese.
さい Usage 6%
Kana spelling is common in informal writing, children's materials, or when the kanji is considered too formal.
Etymology The kanji 際 originally meant 'boundary' or 'juncture', which extended to mean a specific point in time or occasion. The reading さい is the on'yomi.
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