コマ

こま
noun
frame, panel; class period
1. frame, panel
An individual panel in a manga or a single frame in a film or animation.
この漫画(まんが)は1ページに4コマある。
This manga has four panels per page.
4コマ漫画(まんが)は短(みじか)くて読(よ)みやすい。
Four-panel manga are short and easy to read.
映画(えいが)のコマを一(ひと)つずつ確認(かくにん)した。
I checked each frame of the film one by one.
2. class period, time slot
A unit of scheduled time, typically referring to a university lecture period or a scheduled slot in a timetable.
今日(きょう)は3コマ授業(じゅぎょう)がある。
I have three class periods today.
1限目(げんめ)のコマは朝(あさ)早(はや)くて大変(たいへん)だ。
The first-period slot is tough because it's so early in the morning.
来学期(らいがっき)は空(あ)きコマを減(へ)らしたい。
Next semester, I want to reduce my free periods.

Usage

コマ is written in katakana for both senses. The manga/film sense is by far the most common.

Common collocations

  • 4コマ漫画(まんが) (four-panel manga — a popular format)
  • コマ割(わ)り (panel layout in manga)
  • コマ送(おく)り (frame-by-frame playback)
  • 空(あ)きコマ (free period, gap in schedule)

Watch out

Not to be confused with 駒(こま) (chess/shogi piece; horse) or 独楽(こま) (spinning top), which are different words with different kanji.

general
Added 2026.2.13 21:44 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
11000/11110_koma