頃 / ごろ — Around / About (approximate time)
An approximate time indicator meaning 'around' or 'about' a certain time point (not a duration). Also means 'around the time of / the period of.'
Structure
[Time / period expression] + ごろ (頃)
Examples
3時ごろ来てください。
Sanji goro kite kudasai.
Please come around 3 o'clock.
3時 + ごろ = approximately 3 o'clock (a point)
子供の頃、毎日公園で遊んだ。
Kodomo no koro, mainichi kouen de asonda.
When I was a child, I played in the park every day.
子供の頃 = around childhood / that period of life
来月ごろ、引っ越す予定です。
Raigetsu goro, hikkosu yotei desu.
I plan to move around next month.
来月ごろ = approximately next month
• ごろ vs ぐらい/くらい: ごろ = approximate time POINT (3時ごろ = around 3 o'clock). • ぐらい = approximate AMOUNT/DURATION (3時間ぐらい = about 3 hours). • Do not use ごろ for durations. • 子供の頃 (childhood period) uses the kanji form 頃. • 〜ごろには = 'by around [time].'
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones 頃 is tested against.
vs ぐらい / くらい
ごろ attaches to a single time point (3時ごろ); ぐらい attaches to quantities and durations (3時間ぐらい, 1000円ぐらい).
vs 頃 (ころ, period)
As ごろ it means 'around [a clock time]'; as ころ (子供の頃) it means 'the period/era when...'.
More time expressions
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