瞬時

• Reading: しゅんじ
• Romaji: shunji
• Kanji breakdown: 瞬 (shun) — blink, wink, instant; 時 (ji) — time, moment, hour
• Pronunciation: /ɕɯɴ.dʑi/

Meaning

Instant; moment; split second. An extremely brief period of time.

A noun referring to an extremely short period of time — a blink or a flash. More literary and precise than 一瞬 (isshun, a moment). Often used adverbially as 瞬時に (shunji ni, instantly/in a flash). Common in technical, scientific, and dramatic contexts to describe speed — such as computer processing, reflexes, or sudden events. Conveys a sense of immediacy and precision.

Examples

1. コンピューターが瞬時に計算結果を表示した。 The computer displayed the calculation results in an instant.
2. 彼は瞬時に危険を察知して避けた。 He detected the danger in a split second and avoided it.
3. 瞬時の判断が勝敗を分けることがある。 A split-second decision can sometimes determine the outcome.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, sports, science, narrative

Tone: dramatic

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 瞬 (shun, blink/wink) + 時 (ji, time). Literally 'the time of a blink' — an interval as brief as the blinking of an eye.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal