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Kyun

A duration tells you how long something lasts. Compare 三時 (three o'clock) with 三時間 (three hours): adding 間 changes a clock time into a length of time.

When to use it
Answering how long: the length of a journey, how long you have lived in Japan, and similar questions.

Rows in yellow are irregular forms that do not follow the counter’s usual pattern.

For a number of hours. Many readings follow the clock-time forms, including よじかん and くじかん.

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  • 7Also ななじかん
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For both a duration, such as three years, and a calendar year: 2026 is 二千二十六年. Remember 四年 (よねん).

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  • 4よねん, not よんねん
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  • 7Also ななねん
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  • 9Also くねん
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For a number of weeks. To say this week, next week, or last week, use 今週, 来週, or 先週 instead.

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  • 8Also はちしゅうかん
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  • 10Also じゅっしゅうかん
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For a number of months. Compare calendar months such as 一月 and 二月. In this counter, ヶ is an abbreviation read か, not the katakana sound ke; you will also see 〜か月.

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  • 8Also はちかげつ
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  • 10Also じゅっかげつ
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Time or duration?

  • 三時 (さんじ) = three o'clock · 三時間 (さんじかん) = three hours
  • 三月 (さんがつ) = March · 三ヶ月 (さんかげつ) = three months

Useful everyday expressions

  • 半年(はんとし) means half a year, or six months (六ヶ月). It is a word for a period of time: 半年(はんとし)前(まえ)に来(き)ました means I came half a year ago.
  • 半月(はんつき) means half a month, roughly two weeks (二週間). The durations are close, not exactly equal.

Examples

  • 日本(にほん)に二年(にねん)住(す)んでいます。 — I have been living in Japan for two years.
  • 勉強(べんきょう)を三時間(さんじかん)しました。 — I studied for three hours.
  • 来週(らいしゅう)から二週間(にしゅうかん)休(やす)みです。 — I have two weeks off starting next week.