五分(ごふん)

五分(ごふん) means "five minutes." It is one of the most commonly used time units in daily life.

Pronunciation

When counting minutes, 分(ふん) is read as ごふん (not ごぶん). The reading 五分(ごぶ) exists but means "half" or "fifty-fifty" — as in 五分五分(ごぶごぶ) (even odds).

Common expressions

• 五分(ごふん)前(まえ): five minutes before
• 五分(ごふん)後(ご): five minutes later
• 徒歩(とほ)五分(ごふん): five minutes on foot
• あと五分(ごふん): five more minutes
• 五分(ごふん)遅刻(ちこく): five minutes late

Usage

徒歩(とほ)五分(ごふん) is extremely common in real estate listings and station descriptions to indicate walking distance.