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四六時中 (しろくじちゅう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

四し六ろく時じ中ちゅう

し

ろ

く

じ

ちゅ

う

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

adverb, noun

around the clock; day and night

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Emphasizes continuous, all-day-and-night activity. Derived from 4×6=24, representing the 24 hours of the day.

彼かれは四し六ろく時じ中ちゅう仕し事ごとのことを考かんがえている。
He thinks about work around the clock.

この店みせは四し六ろく時じ中ちゅう営えい業ぎょうしている。

This shop is open day and night.

Kanji

四four
六six
時time, hour
中in, inside, middle

Similar words

一いち日にち中じゅう
一日中 means 'all day long', focusing on the daytime hours, while 四六時中 covers the full 24-hour cycle.
年ねん中じゅう無む休きゅう
年中無休 means 'open all year round without holidays', often used for businesses, whereas 四六時中 emphasizes continuous activity at any hour.

Etymology

A yojijukugo formed from 四 (4), 六 (6), 時 (time/hour), and 中 (throughout). The phrase literally means 'throughout the 4×6 hours', i.e., the 24 hours of the day.