いっぷん
noun
one minute
time-general
1. one minute
A single minute of clock time or duration. Often used loosely for "a moment", as in 一分(いっぷん)()って (hang on a second).
あと一分(いっぷん)です。
One minute to go.
一分(いっぷん)だけ()ってください
Please wait just one minute.
Heat it in the microwave for one minute, then mix it well.

The counter (ふん) changes shape after certain numbers: いっぷん, ふん, さんぷん, よんぷん, ごふん, ろっぷん, ななふん, はっぷん, きゅうふん, じゅっぷん. Learners should memorise this set as a block rather than one number at a time.

Common collocations

  • 一分間(いっぷんかん): for one minute (duration)
  • 一分(いっぷん)以内(いない): within one minute
  • 一分(いっぷん)一秒(いちびょう)(あらそ): to be a race against the clock

Usage

The same characters read いちぶ mean "one part" or "one tenth", as in 一分(いちぶ)(すき)ない (without the slightest opening). Context and reading, not the writing, tell the two apart.