おきに

At Intervals of

Level 2Sounds Like okini

Use おきに to describe things that happen at set intervals, like 'every 5 minutes' or 'every other day.' It literally means 'placing a gap of' between events.

How It Works

The grammar pattern おきに (derived from the verb 置く（おく）, meaning 'to place' or 'to leave') is used to express frequency or spatial distribution.

1. The 'Gap' Nuance and the X+1 Rule
Unlike English 'every,' which focuses on the cycle, おきに focuses on the gap left between events. For discrete units like days or years, this creates an 'X+1' frequency:

  • 1日（いちにち）おきに: A gap of 1 day = Every 2nd day (Every other day).
  • 2日（ふつか）おきに: A gap of 2 days = Every 3rd day.

2. Continuous Units (Time and Distance)
For continuous units, the 'X+1' rule does not apply. The interval is interpreted as the number itself:

  • 5分（ごふん）おきに: Every 5 minutes (not every 6).
  • 10メートルおきに: Every 10 meters (not every 11).

3. General Counters and Noun Modification
おきに can be used with general counters to skip items, and it can modify nouns by using the form 〜おきの:

  • 1つ（ひとつ）おきに: Every other one / skipping one.
  • 1日（いちにち）おきの休み（やすみ）: A holiday every other day.

4. Comparison with ごとに
For small units like minutes or meters, おきに and ごとに are often used interchangeably in casual speech. However, for larger units, the distinction is strict. 1日（いちにち）おきに is 'every other day,' while 1日（いちにち）ごとに is 'every day.' Additionally, おきに cannot follow verbs, whereas ごとに can (e.g., 会う（あう）ごとに).

Examples (4)

  1. この薬は６時間おきに飲んでください。

    Please take this medicine at six-hour intervals.

    Word by Word: This medicine (topic) 6 hours interval at drink please.

    This indicates a gap of 6 hours must pass between each dose.

  2. バスは１５分おきに来ます。

    The bus comes every 15 minutes.

    Word by Word: Bus (topic) 15 minutes interval at comes.

    For minutes, this is synonymous with 'every 15 minutes.'

  3. 彼は１日おきにジムに通っている。

    He goes to the gym every other day.

    Word by Word: He (topic) 1 day interval at gym to is commuting.

    This means he goes one day, skips one day, and goes again the next.

  4. 道に５メートルおきに木が植えられている。

    Trees are planted every 5 meters along the road.

    Word by Word: Road on 5 meters interval at trees (subject) are planted.

    This describes a spatial interval where there is a 5-meter gap between each tree.

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing 'every other day' with 'every day'.

    毎日忙しいから、１日おきに日本語を勉強します。
    毎日忙しいけど、１日ごとに日本語を勉強します。

    1日おきに means 'every other day' (skipping a day). If you mean 'every day,' use 毎日（まいにち） or 1日ごとに.

  • Attaching it directly to a verb.

    会うおきに、彼女はきれいになります。
    会うたびに、彼女はきれいになります。

    おきに only attaches to numbers and counters. To say 'every time I [verb],' use たびに.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

おきにLevel 2At Intervals of

Learn This First

To understand 'おきに' (at intervals of), you first need a solid grasp of the particle 'に' for marking points in time. Additionally, since this pattern is almost exclusively used with numerical quantities and time-related counters, you must be familiar with basic Japanese counters for periods (days, weeks, years) and specific time units (hours, minutes).

Words in This Pattern

おきに置き