Time and occasions with 時
時 represents time, a specific moment, or a particular period.
Etymology
This kanji is a phono-semantic compound comprised of 日 (sun) as the semantic component and 寺 as the phonetic component, giving the on-reading ジ. The sun anchors the meaning because the movement of the sun is what lets people measure the passing of time. A measured point under the sun becomes both a clock moment and the broader sense of “when”.
Time Boundaries and Limits
時限 (Time limit)
時限 is a term that refers to the division of time or a period, or to a specific, defined period of time resulting from such a division.
It combines 時 (time) with 限 (limit) to show a time boundary or fixed time period.
Two murders on a yacht leave the passengers on edge. A blackout occurs followed by another attempted murder. This should narrow down the list of suspects to those who weren’t gathered in the dining room. However, Detective Kogoro finds the power switch had a weight tied to it by rope, with a candle having burned the rope to drop the weight. This allowed the power to be turned off unattended.
- 小五郎:
- 「一種の時限装置です」
- “It's a timing device of sorts.”
- Literal: “It's a kind of timed device.”
- “It's a timing device of sorts.”
Time Periods and Duration
時間 (Time)
時間 refers to a single moment in the flow of time, or the duration or interval between two points in time.
It combines 時 (time) with 間 (interval) to show a measured span of time.
Yukari sees Mina with a kendama while between classes. She tells Mina they need to get to their next class, but Mina has decided not to head to the classroom until she successfully gets the ball onto the spike. Yukari tells Mina to hand it over to her to try.
- ミナ:
- 「えーーー 時間ないのに。」
- “No way... I don't have time.”
- ユカリ:
- 「いいから。」
- “Never mind that.”
- Literal: “It's fine.”
- “Never mind that.”
Timekeeping and Measurement
時計 (Clock)
時計 is a general term for any device or mechanism that measures and displays the current time (the hour and minute).
It combines 時 (time) with 計 (measure) to show a device that measures time.
Having received a letter requesting help solving a mystery, Kogoro finds himself in a house filled with animal designs everywhere, including the doors, the chairs, and the plates. His attention turns to the clocks covering the walls.
- 小五郎:
- 「しかし動物もさることながら、時計もたくさんありますなー．．．」
- “But aside from the animals, there are also a lot of clocks, huh...”
- 男:
- 「当たり前ですよ．．． 祖父は時計職人だったんですから．．．」
- “Of course there are... Grandfather was a clock maker, after all...”
時刻 (Time)
時刻 means the time or hour. It is used for specific clock time or a designated moment.
It combines 時 (time) with 刻 (moment) to show a marked point in time.
Upon walking in on a murder scene, Conan goes right to work making observations about the blood-covered body and its surroundings. He notes how the room is torn apart save for one upright chair beside the deceased.
- コナン:
- 「さらに、暑すぎるこの部屋…」
- “Furthermore, this room is too warm...”
- Literal: “Furthermore, this room, which is too hot...”
- 「死亡推定時刻をくるわせるためなのか…」
- “Is it to confuse the estimated time of death...?”
- Literal: “Is it for the purpose of throwing off the estimated time of death...?”
- 「いや、まてよ… それなら死体を水につけた方が…」
- “No, wait... If that's the case, it would be better to put the corpse in water...”
- Literal: “No, wait... if that were so, putting the corpse in water would be...”
- “Furthermore, this room is too warm...”
さらに is used here to provide additional observations.