遅延

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 遅延 is a noun read ちえん, meaning a delay in scheduled timing or progress. It forms the verb 遅延する.
• Basic usage: It can describe a train delay caused by heavy snow or planning intended to prevent work from falling behind.
  • 大雪のため列車に遅延が生じた。 says that the train was delayed because of heavy snow; 作業の遅延を防ぐため予定を細かく分けた。 says that the schedule was divided into detailed steps to prevent work delays.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 列車に遅延が生じる
  • に marks the train service as where the delay occurred, and ため identifies heavy snow as the cause.
• 遅延を防ぐため
  • ため presents preventing a work delay as the purpose of dividing the schedule.
• 遅延 and 遅れ
  • Both denote lateness, while 遅延 is relatively formal for transport or work delays and 遅れ is also common in everyday contexts.