那时候

• Pinyin: nà shí hou
• Hanzi breakdown: 那 (nà) — that; 时候 (shíhou) — time, moment

Meaning

At that time; in those days. Refers to a specific time in the past or future.

A common time phrase used to refer back to a specific period. More neutral and standard than the colloquial 那会儿. Can refer to past or future time depending on context. Often used at the beginning of a sentence to set the temporal scene.

Examples

1. 那时候我还不会说中文。 At that time I couldn't speak Chinese yet.
2. 那时候的生活很简单。 Life was very simple in those days.
3. 等你到了那时候就明白了。 When you reach that point, you'll understand.

Usage Guide

Context: storytelling, comparison, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 那时候我还小。(I was still young back then.)
• 那时候没有手机。(There were no mobile phones at that time.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'在那时候的时候' (Don't say 在那时候的时候 — it's redundant; just say 那时候)

Origin & History

Compound of 那 (that) + 时候 (time, moment). A standard temporal phrase indicating a referenced point in time.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal