一寸

Japanese[edit]

From Middle Chinese [Term?] compound 一寸 (yit tshwon^H, literally “one thumb, one inch”).

一(いっ)寸(すん) • (issun)

one sun: a unit of length equivalent to a tenth of a 尺 (shaku, traditional Japanese foot as a unit of length), or approximately 3.03 centimeters
a short amount of time, distance, or mass

一(いっ)寸(すん)先(さき) (issun saki): just a little bit ahead, just a moment in the future

Idioms

一(いっ)寸(すん)先(さき)は闇(やみ) (issun saki wa yami): “just a moment in the future is darkness” → the future is unknowable
一(いっ)寸(すん)の光(こう)陰(いん)軽(かろ)んずべからず (issun no kōin karonzu bekarazu): “a moment of light and dark should not be taken lightly” → every moment is precious
一(いっ)寸(すん)の虫(むし)にも五(ご)分(ぶ)の魂(たましい) (issun no mushi ni mo gobu no tamashii): “even a bug only an inch long is half [full of] soul” → even the smallest is worthy of respect
一(いっ)寸(すん)下(した)は地(じ)獄(ごく) (issun shita wa jigoku): “an inch below is hell” → an allusion to the dangers of being on a boat, where only an inch of wood is between oneself and the deep ocean
一(いっ)寸(すん)延(の)びれば尋(ひろ)延(の)びる (issun nobireba hiro nobiru): “if it'll stretch an inch, it'll stretch for six feet” → if one can just get past the hardest part, the rest is relatively easy

For pronunciation and definitions of 一寸 – see the following entry.

[adverb] an indirect expression of refusal

[interjection] hey, excuse me

Alternative spellings
鳥渡, チョッと

(This term, 一寸, is an alternative spelling (uncommon) of the above term.)