I'm learning
日本語
週間 — meaning in English: weekly
shūkan · Learn this word with quizzes, examples and more on Maspeak.
Guess the translation for
week
住宅
ビデオ
bideo
アクセント
週間
shūkan
交渉
kōshō
Skip this question
🎓
Learn Japanese for free
Quizzes, examples, audio & daily challenges. No password needed — just your email.
Start learning →
neutral
common
Usage
Native speakers often use 週間 in everyday conversations to describe recurring events or activities that happen once a week, such as '週刊誌' (weekly magazine) or '週間予定' (weekly schedule). It's commonly heard among friends planning activities or in workplaces discussing meeting schedules and deadlines.
Synonyms & nuances
A close synonym is 毎週 (maishū), which means 'every week'. The subtle difference lies in that 週間 specifically refers to the concept of a week as a unit of time, while 毎週 emphasizes the recurrence of an action every week. You would use 週間 when talking about timeframes, but 毎週 when discussing repeated activities.
Culture
The word 週間 is derived from the combination of '週' (shū), meaning 'week', and '間' (kan), which denotes a period or interval. Interestingly, the concept of a week dates back to ancient civilizations, but Japan officially adopted the seven-day week system during the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, significantly influencing modern daily life and scheduling.
FAQ
