Japanese has many words that express the idea of “rest.” Among them, three of the most common are 休暇 (きゅうか), 休憩 (きゅうけい), and 休息 (きゅうそく). All of them involve the concept of “resting,” but their nuances and usage contexts are different. Let’s take a closer look.
休暇 (きゅうか)
休暇 refers to taking time off from school or work for a certain period. There are generally two types:
① Pre-determined holidays
夏季休暇 (かききゅうか) (summer vacation)
ゴールデンウィークの休暇 (きゅうか) (Golden Week holidays, a series of Japanese national holidays in late April and early May)
② Leave taken by personal request
有給休暇 (ゆうきゅうきゅうか) (paid leave)
例：有給休暇 (ゆうきゅうきゅうか) を申請 (しんせい) して旅行 (りょこう) に行 (い) く。
(Apply for paid leave and go on a trip.)
休暇 is often used in formal or institutional contexts, making it sound more official.
休憩 (きゅうけい)
休憩 means taking a short break. It’s used for short pauses during work, study, or exercise, to rest or refresh.
- 例：10分間 (ぷんかん) の休憩 (きゅうけい) を取 (と) る。
(Take a 10-minute break.) - 例：運動 (うんどう) の途中 (とちゅう) で水分補給 (すいぶんほきゅう) のために休憩 (きゅうけい) する。
(Take a break during exercise to rehydrate.)
Unlike 休暇, which refers to longer periods, 休憩 is naturally built into daily routines.
休息 (きゅうそく)
休息 refers to resting the body or mind in a calm way. It is similar to 休憩 but has a more literary or formal tone, often emphasizing recovery from fatigue.
- 例：森 (もり) の中 (なか) で休息 (きゅうそく) を取 (と) る。
(Take a rest in the forest.) - 例：一日 (いちにち) の疲 (つか) れを休息 (きゅうそく) によっていやす。
(Relieve the day’s fatigue through rest.)
It is commonly seen in formal writing, such as newspapers or business contexts.
Summary
- 休暇 (きゅうか): A longer break (summer vacation, paid leave).
- 休憩 (きゅうけい): A short break (in daily life).
- 休息 (きゅうそく): Rest for body or mind (formal or literary).
Even though they all mean “rest,” each word is used differently depending on the situation.
Other “Rest” Expressions
Beyond these three, there are other useful terms that express “taking a break.”
休業・休園・休校
- 休業 (きゅうぎょう): When a store or company closes temporarily.
例：年末年始 (ねんまつねんし) は休業 (きゅうぎょう) します。
(Closed during New Year holidays.) - 休園 (きゅうえん): When a park, zoo, or kindergarten is closed.
例：台風 (たいふう) のため休園 (きゅうえん) となる。
(Closed due to a typhoon.) - 休校 (きゅうこう): When a school cancels classes.
例：大雪 (おおゆき) で休校 (きゅうこう) になった。
(School was closed due to heavy snow.)
These all indicate that an institution or facility has suspended its normal activities.
Words for “Suspending Activities”
- 休止 (きゅうし): To temporarily stop activities.
例：人気 (にんき) アーティストが活動 (かつどう) を休止 (きゅうし) する。
(A popular artist suspends their activities.) - 休載 (きゅうさい): When a serialized article or manga does not appear in a particular issue.
例：今週号 (こんしゅうごう) は休載 (きゅうさい) です。
(This week’s issue is on hiatus.) - 休演 (きゅうえん): When a performance or play is canceled.
例：体調不良 (たいちょうふりょう) のため公演 (こうえん) を休演 (きゅうえん) する。
(The performance is canceled due to illness.) - 休刊 (きゅうかん): When a newspaper or magazine does not publish an issue.
例：祝日 (しゅくじつ) は休刊日 (きゅうかんび) となる。
(No issue is published on holidays.)
All of these terms share the nuance of “temporarily stopping activities,” but the choice of word depends on the specific subject.
Conclusion
Even though they all relate to “rest” or “pause,” Japanese has many ways to express different types of breaks—short, long, physical, mental, or institutional. By choosing the right word for the right situation, you can communicate more precisely and naturally in Japanese.