Ep. 9 — Ma: space, time, and the gap between

It's All Japanese to Me · Oct 22, 2026 · 3m · transcript

Today’s word is “ma.” In English, it is often translated as “negative space.” But a Japanese dictionary gives a long list of meanings that move between space and time: a gap, a room, a pause in conversation, and timing in music, dance, and theatre. I also talk about the 1978 exhibition “MA: Space-Time in Japan,” curated by the architect Isozaki Arata.

Sources:

* Kotobank, “Ma” (Digital Daijisen, Japanese)

* Kotobank, “Manuke” (Digital Daijisen, Japanese)

* Art Platform Japan, “MA: Space-Time in Japan”

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