1.
intermittence; on and off; starting and stopping
The pattern of repeatedly stopping and starting, or occurring at intervals rather than continuously. Almost always used in the adverbial form 断続的に.
断続的に雨が降っている。
It's raining on and off.
断続的な頭痛に悩まされている。
I'm troubled by intermittent headaches.
交渉は断続的に行われ、最終的に合意に達した。
Negotiations were held intermittently, and ultimately an agreement was reached.
A compound of 断 (to cut off, interrupt) and 続 (to continue). The word combines two opposing concepts — interruption and continuation — to describe a pattern of repeated stopping and starting.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 断続的に: intermittently, on and off
- 断続的な雨: intermittent rain
- 断続的な痛み: intermittent pain
- 断続的な渋滞: stop-and-go traffic
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 間欠的: intermittent — more technical/scientific; used for geysers, fevers
- 連続: continuous, consecutive — the antonym, meaning without interruption
- 継続: continuation — sustained over time without the stopping-and-starting nuance
USAGE:
Most commonly appears as 断続的 (adjective) or 断続的に (adverb). Very frequently used in weather forecasts (断続的な雨) and news reports.