Japanese word

当分

Pronunciation

Romajitōbun

Meaning

  • adverbfor a while

Example

当分旅行はしません。tō bun ryo kō wa shi ma se n

I will not travel for a while.

Illustration for 当分 (for a while)

More examples

当分の間、家で勉強します。tō bun no aida ie de ben kyō shi ma su

I will study at home for a while.

Core concept

Marks an unspecified stretch of time extending from now into the foreseeable future.

Common phrases

  • 当分の間tō bun no aida

    for a while

  • 当分はtō bun wa

    for the time being

Similar words

しばらくshibaraku: It indicates a period of time that lasts for an unspecified length.
当面tōmen: It indicates the present period while a situation or decision remains unchanged.

Definition in Japanese

今後しばらくの間。kon go shi ba ra ku no aida

Word origin

当分 (tōbun) combines 当 (tō, "current" or "at hand") and 分 (bun, "part" or "portion"), giving the sense of the period currently in question.

Usage tips

  • 当分 (tōbun) often appears with a negative expression to indicate that an action will not occur for a while, without stating when it will resume.

Other meanings

  • for the time beingadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word