1.
occasionally, from time to time, now and then
Indicates that something happens at irregular intervals, not frequently but not rarely either. Slightly more literary than ときどき.
時折雨が降る。
It rains from time to time.
時折昔のことを思い出す。
I occasionally recall things from the past.
窓の外では、時折強い風が木々を揺らしていた。
Outside the window, a strong wind was shaking the trees from time to time.
時折 is a slightly literary synonym of 時々. It is preferred in written Japanese and formal narration.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 時折 + verb: occasionally ~
- 時折見せる〜: ~ that one shows from time to time
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 時々: sometimes (most common, casual and neutral)
- 時折: occasionally (slightly literary)
- たまに: once in a while (casual, lower frequency)
- 折に触れて: on occasion (formal)
USAGE: 時折 suggests a somewhat irregular, unpredictable pattern. It often appears in descriptive writing, conveying an atmospheric quality.