KanjiSchool
暫
“Temporarily / A While / Moment / Long Time” in Japanese is 暫, read zan, shibara (ざん, しばら). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 暫時 (for a while).
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What does 暫 mean?
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Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 暫 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Temporarily / A While / Moment / Long Time |
| Readings | ざん, しばら |
| Grade | Master (高手 · secondary school) |
| Curriculum | Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2) |
| Example | 暫時 (for a while) |
How to read 暫
暫 is read zan (ざん) or shibara (しばら) depending on the word.
Words with 暫
- 暫時
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Kanji read the same way as 暫
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:
Updated: 2026-08-28