Proverb / Kotowaza
一刻千秋
The psychological feeling that even a brief moment lasts for an eternity when waiting for something.
One moment feels like a thousand autumns.
Quick Answer
The psychological feeling that even a brief moment lasts for an eternity when waiting for something.
- Literal Image
- One moment feels like a thousand autumns.
- How to Use It
- Used to express intense longing, impatience, or anxiety while waiting for an important arrival or result.
Meaning
Describes a state where even a single moment (ikkoku) feels like a thousand years (thousand autumns) to someone who is waiting. It highlights the intensity of anticipation or worry that makes time seem to pass extremely slowly.
Literal Image
One moment feels like a thousand autumns.
How to Use It
Used to express intense longing, impatience, or anxiety while waiting for an important arrival or result.
Tone
A formal and literary expression that conveys deep emotion and the psychological weight of waiting.
Examples
遠距離恋愛中の彼女に会えるのが待ち遠しく、一刻千秋の思いだ。
Waiting to meet a girlfriend in a long-distance relationship makes every moment feel like a thousand autumns.
手術の結果を待つ家族は、一刻千秋の思いで廊下に座っていた。
The family waiting for the results of the surgery sat in the hallway, feeling as if each moment lasted an eternity.
海外赴任から帰ってくる息子を一刻千秋の思いで待ちわびている。
Waiting for a son to return from an overseas assignment feels like every moment is a thousand years.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses basic kanji in a literary four-character compound. The idiomatic use of 'autumns' as a unit of time and the classical Chinese origin contribute to its difficulty.
一刻
いっこく / ikkoku
a brief moment; a short time
千秋
せんしゅう / senshu
a thousand autumns; a very long period
Usage Profile
Usage note: Ensure the context involves waiting; it is not used for a general sense of time passing slowly without a specific object of anticipation.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret this as a general statement about time passing; it refers specifically to the perception of time when waiting for something desired or critical.
Search As
Related Proverbs
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.