何時間(なんじかん)

なんじかん
noun
how many hours; for hours
time-generalquantity
1. how many hours
The question word for a length of time in hours: 何時間(なんじかん)かかりますか (how many hours does it take?). Note that it asks about duration, not clock time — that is 何時(なんじ).
何時間(なんじかん)かかりますか。
How many hours does it take?
昨日(きのう)は何時間(なんじかん)寝(ね)ましたか。
How many hours did you sleep last night?
東京(とうきょう)から大阪(おおさか)まで、車(くるま)で何時間(なんじかん)ぐらいかかるか調(しら)べておいてください。
Please look up roughly how many hours it takes from Tokyo to Osaka by car.
2. for hours (on end)
With も, the same word states that something went on for many hours: 何時間(なんじかん)も待(ま)った (I waited for hours). The number is not asked but presented as large.
何時間(なんじかん)も待(ま)たされた。
I was kept waiting for hours.
弟(おとうと)は何時間(なんじかん)もゲームをしている。
My little brother has been playing games for hours.
結論(けつろん)が出(で)ないまま何時間(なんじかん)も話(はな)し合(あ)ったので、みんな疲(つか)れきっていた。
We talked for hours without reaching a conclusion, so everyone was worn out.

Formed from 何(なん) (what, how many) + the counter 時間(じかん) (hours).

Common patterns

  • 何時間(なんじかん)かかる: to take how many hours
  • 何時間(なんじかん)も: for hours on end
  • 何時間(なんじかん)ぐらい: about how many hours

Similar words

  • 何時(なんじ): what time — asks the point on the clock, not the length of time
  • 何分(なんぷん): how many minutes — the same pattern for minutes
  • どのくらい: how long, how much — vaguer, and not limited to hours

Related Words

Compare: 何時(なんじ)
Related: 時間(じかん)
Compare: 何分(なんぷん) (how many minutes)
general
Added 2026.8.4 3:24 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:31
30000/30372_nanjikan