Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| タイムトラベル | taimu toraberu | [ta̠imɯ̟ to̞ɾa̠be̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 時間旅行 | jikan ryokō | |
| タイムスリップ | taimu surippu | [ta̠imɯ̟ sɨɾʲip̚pɯ̟] (narrow) |
| タイムトリップ | taimu torippu | [ta̠imɯ̟ to̞ɾʲip̚pɯ̟] (narrow) |
This refers to the hypothetical or fictional concept of traveling to the past or the future.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 時間旅行 is a literal translation consisting of 時間 (jikan), meaning 'time' and 旅行 (ryokō), meaning 'travel'.
Which one should you use?
時間旅行 is the formal translation of the concept. タイムトラベル is the standard katakana loanword for the concept. タイムスリップ is a very common loanword used specifically to describe the phenomenon of a person being suddenly transported to a different time, often used in entertainment. タイムトリップ is a less common loanword variation used in certain media contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
taimu toraberu
When do people say it?
The term タイムスリップ is frequently used in the context of entertainment to describe the plots of anime, manga or movies where characters undergo a sudden time jump.
Did you know?
- While タイムトラベル is a direct loanword, the common term タイムスリップ is actually wasei eigo, or Japanese-made English. It combines 'time' with 'slip', a combination that does not exist in natural English.
- The Japanese-made term タイムスリップ has been adopted into Korean as 타임슬립 (taimseullip), showing how Japanese linguistic inventions can spread to neighboring cultures.
- In Japanese media, there is a subtle nuance where タイムトラベル often implies a planned journey using technology, while タイムスリップ often implies an accidental or involuntary jump.
Examples in context
- タイムトラベルは、実在する現象かは解明されていないが、理論物理学などにおいて実現の可能性が示されることがある。It's not clear right now whether time travel is really something that exists in reality but its possibility has been proven by theoretical physics.This sentence explains the scientific possibility of タイムトラベル in relation to theoretical physics.Tatoeba #395644 by Scott, translation #395645 by Scott
- 映画で時間旅行の話を見ました。I watched a movie about time travel.
- SF小説はタイムトラベルがテーマとなっています。Science fiction novels often have time travel as their theme.
- 子供の頃の思い出にタイムスリップしたみたい。It felt like I slipped through time to my childhood memories.
- なんか物凄い映画で時間移動の話があったよ。There was a mind-blowing movie that had a story about time travel.
- タイムトラベルを題材にした映画が好きです。Taimutoraberu o daizai ni shita eiga ga suki desu.I like movies that use time travel as a theme.
- この小説のタイムトラベルの設定は面白いね。Kono shousetsu no taimutoraberu no settei wa omoshiroi ne.The time travel setting in this novel is interesting.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are talking about a science fiction novel.
- 結衣 Yuiこの本、タイムトラベルの話なんだよ。kono hon, taimutoraberu no hanashi nanda yo.This book is a story about time travel.
- 健太 Kentaへえ、面白そうだね。hē, omoshirosō da ne.Oh, that sounds interesting.
- 結衣 Yui健太なら、過去と未来どっちに行きたい？kenta nara, kako to mirai dotchi ni ikitai?Kenta, would you rather go to the past or the future?
- 健太 Kenta僕は未来を見てみたいな。boku wa mirai o mite mitai na.I want to try seeing the future.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “time travel” translations and entries タイムトラベル, 時間旅行, タイムスリップ, タイムトリップ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
