Translation guide
The English word 'hourly' can mean 'every hour', 'per hour', or 'by the hour'. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
Expressing that something happens each hour, on the hour, or at hourly intervals.
Standard way to say 'every hour' or 'hourly'. Can be used for any recurring event.
バスは1時間ごとに来ます。
The bus comes hourly.
Formal or written expression meaning 'every hour'. Often used in schedules or technical contexts.
列車は毎時00分に出発します。
Trains depart hourly at the top of the hour.
Literally 'with one-hour intervals'. Slightly more colloquial than ごとに.
薬を1時間おきに飲んでください。
Please take the medicine hourly.
Expressing a rate, speed, or amount for each hour.
Standard way to say 'per hour'. Used for wages, speed, production, etc.
時給は1時間あたり1000円です。
The hourly wage is 1000 yen per hour.
この機械は1時間あたり50個の部品を生産します。
This machine produces 50 parts hourly.
Specifically for speed: 'per hour' (km/h, etc.). Used in compound words like 時速60キロ (60 km/h).
Hourly wage (noun). Often shortened to 時給 (じきゅう) in conversation.
Describing work or payment calculated according to the number of hours worked.
Hourly wage system. Used to describe jobs that pay by the hour.
私は時給制で働いています。
I work on an hourly basis.
Literally 'in hourly units'. Used for billing or payment by the hour.
駐車料金は時間単位で計算されます。
Parking fees are calculated hourly.
Both mean 'every' or 'at intervals', but ごとに is more common for regular intervals. おきに implies a gap of that length between events. For hourly, they are often interchangeable, but ごとに is safer for beginners.
1時間ごとにベルが鳴る。
A bell rings every hour.
1時間おきに休憩を取る。
Take a break every hour (with an hour between breaks).
English uses 'hourly' as an adverb (e.g., 'check hourly'), but Japanese does not have a single adverb equivalent. Use phrases like 1時間ごとに or 1時間おきに instead.
ニュースは1時間ごとに更新されます。
The news is updated hourly.
彼は時給で支払われます。
He is paid hourly.
The wind speed is 30 kilometers per hour.
この仕事は時間給です。
This job pays hourly.