1.
pause; gap; interval; lull; break
A temporary interruption or gap in something continuous. Most commonly used in the negative form 絶え間なく (without pause, incessantly).
絶え間なく雨が降っている。
It's raining without pause.
工事の騒音が絶え間なく続いている。
The construction noise continues without a break.
桜の花びらが絶え間なく散り続け、道はまるでピンクの絨毯のようだった。
Cherry blossom petals kept falling without pause, and the path looked like a pink carpet.
The noun 絶え間 means a pause or break in something continuous, but it is most commonly used in the adverbial form 絶え間なく (without pause, ceaselessly). In fact, 絶え間なく is far more common than the bare noun.
USAGE:
- 絶え間なく (ceaselessly, without interruption) is the standard usage
- 絶え間ない (unceasing, constant) is the adjective form
- Emphasizes that something continues without any break or pause
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 絶え間なく続く: to continue without pause
- 絶え間ない努力: unceasing effort
- 絶え間なく流れる: to flow without stopping
- 絶え間ない騒音: incessant noise
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 休みなく: without rest — simpler and more casual
- ひっきりなしに: incessantly — emphasizes frequency of repeated events
- 間断なく: without interruption — more formal/literary
- 途切れなく: without breaking off — emphasizes continuity