(だんぞくてき)

だんぞくてき
adjective
intermittent; on and off
1. intermittent; on and off; sporadic
Occurring at irregular intervals, repeatedly stopping and starting. Used to describe phenomena like rain, noise, or ongoing situations that come and go.
断続的(だんぞくてき)(あめ)()った。
It rained intermittently.
工事(こうじ)(おと)断続的(だんぞくてき)()こえてくる。
The sound of construction can be heard on and off.
今週(こんしゅう)断続的(だんぞくてき)(あめ)(つづ)き、洗濯物(せんたくもの)(かわ)かなかった。
This week the intermittent rain continued, and the laundry wouldn't dry.

USAGE:
Most commonly used in the adverbial form 断続的(だんぞくてき)に. Frequently appears in weather reports and news broadcasts. The opposite is 継続的(けいぞくてき) (continuous) or 連続的(れんぞくてき) (continuous, successive).

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 断続的(だんぞくてき)()る (to rain intermittently)
  • 断続的(だんぞくてき)渋滞(じゅうたい) (intermittent traffic jam)
  • 断続的(だんぞくてき)(つづ)く (to continue intermittently)

RELATED WORDS:

  • 継続的(けいぞくてき): continuous, ongoing
  • 間欠的(かんけつてき): intermittent (more technical)
  • 散発的(さんぱつてき): sporadic