时

• Pinyin: shí
• Hanzi breakdown: 时 = 日 (sun) + 寸 (inch), simplified from 時; the sun's position measuring the passage of time

Meaning

Time; hour; when; at the time of. A versatile time-related morpheme used in many common compounds.

Rarely used alone in modern Chinese — it typically appears in compounds: 小时 (hour), 时间 (time), 时候 (when/time), 按时 (on time), 同时 (at the same time), 及时 (in time/timely). In classical-style constructions or formal writing, it can function as 'at the time of' or 'when.' Essential for understanding many time-related expressions.

Examples

1. 他年轻时曾在农村生活过。 When he was young, he once lived in the countryside.
2. 吃饭的时候不要看手机。 Don't look at your phone while eating.
3. 放学的时候别忘了带书包。 Don't forget to bring your bag when school is over.

Usage Guide

Context: time, schedules, grammar

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你吃饭的时候喜欢看电视吗？(Do you like watching TV while eating?)
• 他有时候很安静，有时候很活泼。(Sometimes he is very quiet, sometimes very lively.)

Don't Say

• 现在是下午三时。(While grammatically correct, 三时 is overly formal for spoken Chinese — say 三点 instead. 时 for clock time is mainly used in written or official contexts.)

Origin & History

The traditional form 時 contains 日 (sun) and 寺 (temple/phonetic), representing the movement of the sun marking the passage of time.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal