时代

• Pinyin: shí dài
• Hanzi breakdown: 时 = 日 (sun) + 寸 (inch), meaning time; 代 = 亻(person) + 弋 (stake), meaning generation or to replace

Meaning

Era; period; epoch; age. A distinct period in history characterised by particular events or features.

Used for both historical eras (古代 = ancient times, 现代 = modern times) and cultural/technological periods (信息时代 = information age, 数字时代 = digital age). Also used more personally to mean 'one's time' or generation (我们的时代 = our era). Common in news, history, and discussion of social change.

Examples

1. 我们生活在一个科技飞速发展的时代。 We live in an era of rapidly developing technology.
2. 每个时代都有自己的特点。 Every era has its own characteristics.
3. 他是那个时代最伟大的作家之一。 He was one of the greatest writers of that era.

Usage Guide

Context: history, technology, culture, society

Tone: reflective

Do Say

• 互联网改变了我们的时代。(The internet has changed our era.)
• 不同时代有不同的价值观。(Different eras have different values.)

Don't Say

• 我的时代是1990年。(Don't use 时代 for a specific year — use 年. 时代 refers to a broader period, not a single point in time.)

Origin & History

时 means time; 代 means generation or to replace. Together: a period of time defined by its generation — an era or epoch.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal