The Difference Between “Ichido” and “Ikkai”
“If both ‘ichido’ (いちど) and ‘ikkai’ (いっかい) mean ‘once,’ why is it necessary to differentiate between them?”
“In what contexts should ‘ichido’ and ‘ikkai’ be used differently?”
“What misunderstandings might arise from using ‘ichido’ and ‘ikkai’ incorrectly?”
“Ichido” (いちど) and “ikkai” (いっかい) both contain the character “回” (meaning “times”), so they might seem similar at first. However, these two words have subtle differences in nuance. For beginners learning Japanese, it’s easy to get confused about when to use each term.
In this article, Eri-san, a staff member from the JPLT Online Japanese Language School, explains the difference between “ichido” and “ikkai” with concrete examples, making it easy for beginners to understand.
The Meaning and Usage of “Ichido” and “Ikkai”
“Ichido” (いちど)
- Meaning:
- Once.
- On one occasion.
- All at once, simultaneously.
- Usage:
- Ichido, Tōkyō ni ittemitai (いちど、東京に行ってみたい) – “I want to visit Tokyo once.”
- Kono botan o ichido oshite mite kudasai (このボタンをいちど押してみてください) – “Please press this button once.”
- Minna de ichido, shinkokyū shimashou (みんなでいちど、深呼吸しましょう) – “Let’s all take a deep breath together.”
- Features:
- Can express not just the number of times, but also a specific point in time or state.
- “Ichido” emphasizes the experience or event itself.
“Ikkai” (いっかい)
- Meaning:
- One time.
- Usage:
- Kono gēmu o ikkai yatte miyou (このゲームをいっかいやってみよう) – “Let’s play this game once.”
- Shū ni ikkai, jimu ni kayotteimasu (週にいっかい、ジムに通っています) – “I go to the gym once a week.”
- Features:
- Clearly expresses the quantity of “one time.”
- Often used to count the number of repeated actions.
Comparing “Ichido” and “Ikkai”
| Word | Meaning | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Ichido (いちど) | Once, one time, one occasion, all at once. | Can express experience or a particular state, not just frequency. |
| Ikkai (いっかい) | One time. | Clearly denotes the count of actions. Used when counting repeated actions. |
Conclusion: The Difference Between “Ichido” and “Ikkai”
While both “ichido” (いちど) and “ikkai” (いっかい) involve the character for “times,” they differ in nuance. “Ichido” can express more than just frequency—it can refer to an experience, state, or simultaneous action. On the other hand, “ikkai” clearly counts the number of occurrences, especially when referring to repeated actions.
Understanding these differences is key to mastering natural Japanese communication. Learning the subtleties of words like these will improve your Japanese fluency and precision.
