“shibaraku” Meaning — For a While / A Good While [JLPT N2]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
An adverb for an indefinite but not-brief span — “please wait a while,” “long time no see” — with examples. (JLPT N2)
「しばらくお待ちください」 — a stretch of time, uncertain in length but a bit long
On a service call you often hear 「しばらくお待ちください」 (please wait a moment); at a reunion you say 「しばらくぶりですね」 (long time no see) — 「しばらく」 is an adverb for “a stretch of time, uncertain but not short,” meaning both “a while, a moment” and “quite a while.” The same word: leaning short it's “a moment,” leaning long it's “a long time.” This guide covers its two feels, its length difference from 「ちょっと・少々,」 and that 「しばらくぶり」 = long time no see.
Core: a stretch of time ‘uncertain in length but rather long'
「しばらく」 = a vague but rather long stretch of time (not an instant — that's ちょっと). It can lean “short” or “long”:
- ① a while, a moment (leaning short, but longer than ちょっと): しばらくお待ちください (please wait a moment), しばらく休もう (let's rest a bit).
- ② quite a while (leaning long): しばらく会っていない (haven't met for a while), しばらくの間、留守にします (I'll be away for a while).
- ③ long time (a greeting): しばらくぶり／しばらくですね (long time no see).
Feel: “a while, a spell, a long time” — the core is “a stretch of time of uncertain length but a bit long,” longer than “an instant (ちょっと),” with the exact length depending on context.
Attachment & forms
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| しばらく ＋ action | for a while, a spell ～ | しばらく待つ |
| しばらくの間 | for a period (stressing the span) | しばらくの間 |
| しばらくぶり／しばらくです | long time (no see) | しばらくぶり |
| しばらくして | after a while | しばらくしてから |
Examples in use
- 準備ができるまで、しばらくお待ちください。(Please wait a moment until it's ready.) — a while
- しばらく会っていないけど、元気かな。(We haven't met in a while — I wonder how they are.) — quite a while
- しばらくぶりに実家に帰った。(I went back home after a long time.) — long time
- 薬を飲んでしばらくすると、痛みが引いた。(A while after taking the medicine, the pain subsided.) — after a while
- しばらくの間、この道は工事で通れません。(For a while, this road is closed for construction.) — a period
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
① 「しばらく」 is longer than 「ちょっと」; for ‘just a moment' use ちょっと. 「しばらく」 and 「ちょっと」 both express “a bit, a while,” but the length differs. 「ちょっと」 = a moment, a little (very short, seconds～minutes): ちょっと待って (wait a sec), ちょっと休憩 (a little break). 「しばらく」 = a while (longer than ちょっと, minutes～days/longer): しばらく待つ (wait a while), しばらく入院する (be hospitalized for a while). So for “a very brief moment” use 「ちょっと」; using 「しばらく」 makes it “a rather long while,” the wrong length. Test: seconds, a little → ちょっと; a while, rather long → しばらく.
② It's an adverb; take no 「を／だ.」 「しばらく」 is an adverb, directly modifying a verb (しばらく待つ = wait a while), taking no particle 「を」 or noun 「だ」: × しばらくを待つ, × しばらくだ. To stress “that span,” use 「しばらくの間」 (しばらくの間、休む = rest for a while). Mnemonic: しばらく ＋ verb (adverb attaches directly), to nominalize use 「しばらくの間.」
③ 「しばらくぶり」 ≈ 「久しぶり」 = long time no see. 「しばらく」 has a greeting use 「しばらくぶり／しばらくですね」 = “long time no see,” nearly identical to the familiar 「久しぶり（ひさしぶり）,」 both for reunions: しばらくぶりに会った (met after a long time), 「しばらくですね」 = “it's been a while.” Subtle difference: 「久しぶり」 is the most general “long time no see” (commonest everyday); 「しばらくぶり」 is a touch more literary, formal, but the same meaning. Also, the 「〜ぶり」 of 「しばらくぶり」 and 「久しぶり」 is the same 「〜ぶり (after an interval of ～),」 so you can also say 「三年ぶり (after three years).」 To say “long time no see,” 久しぶり is most general, しばらくぶり a bit more formal — both correct.
🔄 Compare: しばらく／ちょっと／少々／当分
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| しばらく | a while (uncertain, rather long) | しばらく待つ |
| ちょっと | a moment (very short, colloquial) | ちょっと待って |
| 少々（しょうしょう） | a moment (seconds～a minute or two, polite) | 少々お待ちを |
| 当分（とうぶん） | for the time being, a while from now | 当分の間 |
💡 How to remember this
「しばらく」 = a stretch of time, uncertain in length but rather long — three points: ① two feels by context — leaning short it's “a while, a moment” (しばらくお待ちください = please wait a moment), leaning long it's “quite a while” (しばらく会っていない = haven't met for a while), but both longer than “a moment (ちょっと)”; ② it's an adverb, taking no を／だ (しばらく待つ; to nominalize use 「しばらくの間」); ③ 「しばらくぶり」 ≈ 「久しぶり」 = long time no see (久しぶり most general, しばらくぶり a bit more formal). Length comparison: for a very short “please wait” use 〈少々〉, a brief “a sec” use ちょっと, a “while” use しばらく, “a fair stretch from now” use 当分. It's a very handy everyday time adverb — for asking someone to wait, expressing a reunion, saying “for a while,” you rely on it.
❓ Questions you might have
Q: 「しばらく」 and 「ちょっと」 both express ‘a bit, a while' — what's the difference?
The difference is length of time. 「ちょっと」 = a moment, a little (very short): refers to a very short time (seconds to minutes), the most colloquial, offhand “a bit”: ちょっと待って (wait a sec), ちょっと休もう (let's rest a bit), ちょっとそこまで (just going nearby). 「しばらく」 = a while (longer than ちょっと): refers to an uncertain but rather long stretch (minutes, hours, even days/weeks): しばらくお待ちください (please wait a moment — more formal and a bit longer than 「ちょっと待って」), しばらく会っていない (haven't met in a while — maybe weeks/months), しばらく入院する (be hospitalized for a while). So the key is length: for “a very brief moment, a little” use ちょっと; for “a while, a spell (rather long)” use しばらく. E.g. 「ちょっと待って (wait a sec)」 is seconds to a minute or two; 「しばらくお待ちください (please wait a moment)」 implies you may wait a bit longer (common at service desks, when processing). Also, register-wise, 「ちょっと」 is very colloquial, 「しばらく」 neutral, leaning a touch formal. In service, to politely say “please wait” for a very short time (seconds), you can also use the more courteous 「少々（しょうしょう）お待ちください.」 Length: 少々 (seconds) ＜ ちょっと (very short) ＜ しばらく (a while, rather long).
Q: Are 「しばらくぶり」 and 「久しぶり」 the same? Both ‘long time no see'?
Nearly the same — both mean “long time no see, after a long interval,” used as a reunion greeting, interchangeable, with only a subtle register difference. 「久しぶり（ひさしぶり）」 = long time no see: the most general, commonest “long time no see,” the first choice for everyday speech: 「久しぶり！」 (long time no see! — among friends), 久しぶりに映画を見た (saw a movie after a long time), 三年ぶりの帰国 (returning home after three years). It's the most familiar, usable anywhere. 「しばらくぶり」 = long time no see (a bit more formal/literary): same meaning as 「久しぶり,」 but a touch more literary, formal in feel: 「しばらくぶりですね」 (it's been a while), 「しばらくです」 (long time). It's often for slightly more courteous, formal settings. The 「〜ぶり」 of both is the same 「〜ぶり (after an interval of ～),」 so 「三年ぶり・久しぶり・しばらくぶり」 all use it. Test: for everyday “long time no see” with friends, 久しぶり is most natural and general; to be a touch more formal and courteous, しばらくぶり／しばらくですね is fine too. In short, both correct — 久しぶり commonest, しばらくぶり a bit more formal, same meaning.
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「準備ができるまで、___お待ちください。」(please wait a moment)
(A) しばらく (B) すっかり (C) たっぷり (D) めっきり
Q2. 「しばらくぶり」の意味は?
(A) After a long while (long time no see)
(B) Right away
(C) Often
(D) Forever
Q3. 「しばらく会っていない」の意味は?
(A) Haven't met for a while
(B) Just met a moment ago
(C) Meet every day
(D) Have never met
Q4. 「しばらく」と「ちょっと」の違いは?
(A) しばらく＝a while (longer); ちょっと＝a moment (very short)
(B) The two are exactly the same
(C) しばらく＝an instant
(D) ちょっと＝very long
Q5. 用法が自然なのは?
(A) しばらくの間、静かにしていた。 (B) しばらくを食べる。
(C) しばらくだ高い。 (D) しばらくに行く。
Answer Explanations
1. (A) しばらく ── Please wait a moment.
2. (A) ── After a long while (long time no see).
3. (A) ── Haven't met for a while.
4. (A) ── しばらく longer; ちょっと very short.
5. (A) ── 「しばらくの間」is correct.