(しゅうかん)

しゅうかん
counter
weeks
See also: 週刊(しゅうかん) (weekly publication)
1. weeks (duration)
A counter for counting the duration of time in weeks.
(いっ)週間(しゅうかん)(やす)
To take a week off.
()週間(しゅうかん)(やす)みました
I took two weeks off.
Summer vacation is in one more week.
I studied Japanese for three weeks.
How many weeks will it take? Will it be finished by next month?

週間(しゅうかん) is a counter for weeks of duration. It emphasizes the span of time rather than a specific week.

COUNTING:

  • (いっ)週間(しゅうかん): one week (note the っ: いっしゅうかん)
  • ()週間(しゅうかん): two weeks
  • (さん)週間(しゅうかん): three weeks
  • (なん)週間(しゅうかん): how many weeks?

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • (いっ)週間(しゅうかん)(まえ): one week ago
  • あと(いっ)週間(しゅうかん)で: in one more week
  • ()週間(しゅうかん)ぐらい: about two weeks

CONTRAST WITH (しゅう):
(しゅう) refers to a specific week or the concept of "week" (先週(せんしゅう) = last week, 来週(らいしゅう) = next week, 毎週(まいしゅう) = every week). 週間(しゅうかん) is used specifically for counting duration in weeks.