Meaning and Usage
"区間" (くかん) refers to a specific section or segment of a larger route, area, or distance. It is commonly used in contexts such as transportation (train lines, highways), pricing (fares for certain sections), and construction zones.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "区間" when discussing travel routes, especially train or bus lines, where different sections may have different conditions or prices. It also appears in road construction announcements and in technical or measurement contexts.
Collocations and Patterns
- 区間料金 (くかんりょうきん): section fare, used when talking about ticket prices for a specific segment.
- 区間運転 (くかんうんてん): operation within a certain section, often used in train schedules.
- 区間閉鎖 (くかんへいさ): section closure, used in traffic or construction contexts.
Register and Nuance
"区間" is a neutral, formal noun often used in written and spoken Japanese related to transportation, infrastructure, and technical fields. It is not casual and is unlikely to appear in everyday casual conversation unless discussing travel or routes.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "区間" with "区" (く), which means ward or district in a city. Remember that "区間" specifically refers to a segment or section of a route or distance, not an administrative area.