1.
paragraph; section
A distinct section of a piece of writing, usually dealing with a single theme or idea.
2.
end of a phase; conclusion of a stage
A natural stopping point or conclusion of a process or task. Often used in the expression 一段落 to mean reaching a point where one can pause.
Has two distinct uses: as a writing term for paragraph, and in the compound 一段落 meaning the end of a phase.
Common collocations
- 段落を分ける (to divide into paragraphs)
- 一段落つく (to reach a stopping point)
- 一段落する (to settle down, to wrap up a phase)
Pronunciation
The compound 一段落 is traditionally read いちだんらく, though the reading ひとだんらく is also widely used in spoken Japanese.