临时

• Pinyin: lín shí
• Hanzi breakdown: 临 = 臣 (official/face down) + 品 (goods, phonetic); 时 = 日 (sun) + 寺 (temple, phonetic)

Meaning

Temporary; makeshift; at the last minute. Describes something arranged or done for a short period or on short notice.

临时 often implies improvisation or lack of long-term planning. 临时工 means temporary worker, 临时通知 means last-minute notice. The word carries a neutral to slightly negative connotation of something not being permanent or well-prepared.

Examples

1. 因为有事，她临时取消了今天的会议。 Because something came up, she cancelled today's meeting at the last minute.
2. 公司临时招了几名员工来帮忙处理旺季的工作。 The company temporarily hired several staff to help handle the busy season workload.
3. 考试前临时抱佛脚是一个不好的习惯。 Cramming right before an exam is a bad habit.

Usage Guide

Context: work, everyday, planning

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这只是临时安排，等正式员工到了再换。(This is just a temporary arrangement — it will change once the permanent staff arrive.)
• 不要总是临时才准备，应该提前计划好。(Don't always prepare at the last minute — you should plan ahead.)

Don't Say

• 不要把'临时'和'暂时'完全互换 — '临时'更强调匆忙或应急，'暂时'更强调持续时间短暂 (Don't treat 临时 and 暂时 as perfect synonyms — 临时 implies urgency or improvisation, 暂时 simply means short-lived)

Origin & History

临 (to approach/face) + 时 (time) — together meaning 'at the time of approaching', i.e. at the moment when something is about to happen, hence 'last-minute' or 'temporary'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal