Interval
Interval Of Time, Interval Of Space
noun
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
Don't confuse this with 〜間 which is similar in meaning but different in reading. The 〜間 means it's attached to something. This is a standalone word.
Since this word is made up of a single kanji, it uses the kun'yomi reading. 間 has two common kun'yomi readings, あいだ and ま. You haven't learned these readings yet, so here's an explanation of each reading and mnemonics to help you remember them:
間 is usually read as あいだ for a longer interval of time or general space between things. It's read as ま for a short burst of time or when defining a specific area, like a 茶の間 (the older name for a Japanese living room).
You can remember this because time feels longer in Idaho (あいだ). Any interval of time you spend there feels so long, because Idaho life moves so slowly. As soon as you cross the border and enter a new state, you call your ma (ま) to tell her you're finally out of that slooooow state, and the intervals of time feel shorter.
AとBの間
between A and B
茶の間
a living room, a room for tea ceremony
一生の間
during one's lifetime
冬の間
during the winter
間にある
to be in between
間に入る
to go in between, to intervene
間にいる
to be in between
あっと言う間
in the blink of an eye, the time it takes to say "Ah!"
学校にいる間は、スマホを切っています。
While I'm at school, I turn my smartphone off.
父がコンビニでコーヒーを買っている間、私は車内にいました。
While my father was buying coffee at a convenience store, I was in the car.
休学の間、人生についてよく考えたいと思っています。
I want to think about my life during my leave of absence.
友人とお茶の間で話していると、あっという間に６時になっていました。
I was chatting with a friend in the living room, and before I knew it, it was six o'clock.