時差ぼけ

• Reading: じさぼけ
• Romaji: jisaboke
• Kanji breakdown: 時 (ji) — time, hour; 差 (sa) — difference, gap
• Pronunciation: /dʑi.sa.bo.ke/

Meaning

Jet lag. The feeling of fatigue and disorientation caused by travelling across time zones.

A noun describing the physical and mental effects of rapid travel across multiple time zones. Combines 時差 (jisa, time difference) with ぼけ (boke, dazed/confused). Symptoms include sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and disrupted sleep patterns. A very practical and commonly used word for anyone discussing international travel. Often used with が治る (ga naoru, to recover from) or がひどい (ga hidoi, is severe).

Examples

1. アメリカから帰ってきて時差ぼけがひどい。 I got back from America and the jet lag is terrible.
2. 時差ぼけが治るまで三日くらいかかった。 It took about three days to recover from the jet lag.
3. 時差ぼけ対策として飛行機の中でなるべく寝るようにした。 As a countermeasure against jet lag, I tried to sleep as much as possible on the plane.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, health, daily conversation

Tone: conversational

Origin & History

From Japanese: 時差 (jisa, time difference) + ぼけ (boke, daze/confusion). Literally 'time-difference daze' — the confused state caused by crossing time zones.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal