Japanese word

しばらく

Pronunciation

Romajishibaraku

Meaning

  • adverbfor a while

Example

しばらく休みます。shi ba ra ku yasu mi ma su

I will rest for a while.

Illustration for しばらく (for a while)

More examples

私はしばらくここで待ちます。watashi wa shi ba ra ku ko ko de ma chi ma su

I will wait here for a while.

Core concept

Indicates an unspecified stretch of time, often understood from the surrounding situation.

Common phrases

  • しばらく待つshi ba ra ku ma tsu

    wait for a while

  • しばらく休むshi ba ra ku yasu mu

    rest for a while

  • しばらく考えるshi ba ra ku kanga e ru

    think for a while

Similar words

しばしshibashi: For a short while, with a formal or literary tone.
ちょっとchotto: For a little while, with a casual and less precise sense of duration.
当分tōbun: For the time being, often implying that a situation will continue for some time.

Definition in Japanese

すぐではなく、ある程度の時間が経つまでの間。su gu de wa na ku a ru tei do no ji kan ga ta tsu ma de no aida

Word origin

しばらく (shibaraku) is a native Japanese adverb related to 暫し (shibashi), an older word for "a short time", and is commonly written 暫く (shibaraku).

Usage tips

  • The same word can describe a pause that feels brief or a longer interval, because its length depends on the situation rather than a fixed measure.

Other meanings

  • for a momentadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word