間
interval · space
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Sun/moon (日) visible through a gate (門). Gap, space between.
Symbolism
Negative space, relationships, aesthetics of 'ma'. Important concept in Japanese art.
Component Breakdown
surround from above: gate + sun
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
無間地獄
むけんじごく
the Avici hell (the eighth and most painful of the eight hells); hell of uninterrupted suffering
反間苦肉
はんかんくにく
stratagem for causing a rift in the enemy camp by using a seditious plot
Proverbs & Idioms
人間万事塞翁が馬
にんげんばんじさいおうがうま
The old man and the horse
Fortune and misfortune are unpredictable
Poetry
難波潟 みじかき葦の ふしの間も あはでこの世を 過ぐしてよとや
Short as the space between joints of reeds in Naniwa marsh — must I pass this whole life without even that much of you?
秋風に たなびく雲の たえ間より もれ出づる月の かげのさやけさ
Through a break in the clouds trailing on the autumn wind, the moonlight spills out, clear and cold.
Anime & Manga
ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
A well-known work with 間 in its Japanese title.
お隣の天使様にいつの間にか駄目人間にされていた件
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
A well-known work with 間 in its Japanese title.
魔入りました！入間くん
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun
A well-known work with 間 in its Japanese title.
治癒魔法の間違った使い方
The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic
A well-known work with 間 in its Japanese title.
真の仲間じゃないと勇者のパーティーを追い出されたので、辺境でスローライフすることにしました
Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside
A well-known work with 間 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
佐久間象山
Name contains 間
Sakuma Shōzan was a Japanese politician and scholar of the Edo period.
Wikipedia本間宗久
Name contains 間
Munehisa Honma was a rice merchant from Sakata, Japan who traded in the Dōjima Rice Exchange in Osaka during the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Wikipedia沼間守一
Name contains 間
Numa Morikazu was a politician and journalist in Meiji period Japan.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 間 mean in Japanese?
間 means interval, space.
How do you read 間?
On'yomi: カン、ケン (KAN, KEN). Kun'yomi: あいだ、ま、あい (aida, ma, ai).
How many strokes does 間 have?
間 has 12 strokes. Its radical is 門 (gate).
Is 間 a good kanji for a tattoo?
間 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means interval, space. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:space