a period of time

(gate) + (sun, day)
★★★★★
12 strokes
SUF

Onyomi

KAN

Mnemonic

It CAN take a period of time of up to a day to go from one gate (門) to the other.

Kunyomi

あいだ an interval of time - the time between event A and event B.
★★★★★
gate - never used by itself, though. Only in jukugo - sort of like a second ONyomi. (see below!) NUBI
★☆☆☆☆

Jukugo

時間(じかん)

time ★★★★★
(time) + (a period of time) = 時間 (time)

間違い(まちがい)

a mistake ★★★★★ 1/2 KANA
(a period of time) + (different and therefore wrong) = 間違い (a mistake)

Verb form; 間違える!

xxx (かん)

xxx amount of time ★★★★★ SUF

xxx amount of time.

You can't just say "one year" like in English. You have to add 'kan', the equivalent of saying, in English, 'one year's time.'

for instance:

一年間 (いちねんかん):one year's time

三週間 (さんしゅうかん): three weeks' time

With months, it gets even more complex: you have to add 間 at the end AND ヶ (pronounced 'ka') in the middle, like this:

三ヶ月間 (さんかげつかん): three months' time

人間(にんげん)

human ★★★★☆ FP
(person) + (a period of time) = 人間 (human)

間に合う(まにあう)

make it in time ★★★☆☆
(a period of time) + (to suit) = 間に合う (make it in time)

to make it in time - catching your train or not being late for class (this is the main time you use the "MA" pronunciation)

Lookalikes

Meaning Hint Radical
gate OPEN
a period of time DAY
question, problem MOUTH

Gate has NOTHING IN THE CENTER, IT'S OPEN - so you can walk through it.

There is an interval of one DAY between things, and you ask a question with your MOUTH.

Used In

Synonyms

crevice
隙間    裂け目   
crotch
また 股ぐら    股間    股上   
differ
異なる    差    食い違い    相違    間隔    区別    距離   
dummy, idiot, fool, doo doo dumb
バカ 愚か    間抜け    バカ面    ボケ あほ
friendship
仲良し    仲間   
human
人類    人情    人間   
instantly
瞬間    一瞬   
mistake
間違え    誤り   
period of time
時期    期間   
plurals
~等    あいつ等    彼等    奴等    達    仲間達    人達    子供達   
society, the world
世界    世の中    世間    社会    地球   
spending time
時間が経つ    時間がかかる?    費やす    時間を過ごす    流れる