しばらく

• Reading: しばらく
• Romaji: shibaraku
• Kanji breakdown: 暫 (zan/shibara) — temporarily, a while (usually written in hiragana)
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.ba.ɾa.kɯ/

Meaning

For a while; for some time. A period of time that is neither too short nor too long.

An adverb that indicates a moderate passage of time. The kanji form 暫く exists but hiragana is far more common. Often used in the set phrase しばらくお待ちください (please wait a moment) and お久しぶり / しばらくですね (it's been a while).

Examples

1. しばらくお待ちください。すぐ戻ります。 Please wait a moment. I'll be right back.
2. しばらく会っていなかった友達に会えてうれしい。 I'm happy to see a friend I haven't seen in a while.
3. 引っ越したばかりで、しばらく忙しいです。 I just moved, so I'll be busy for a while.

Usage Guide

Context: greetings, requests, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Written in kanji as 暫く. The kanji 暫 combines 車 (vehicle) and 斬 (cut), originally suggesting a brief pause, like the moment a carriage stops before moving on.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal