一刻 (yī kè) — a brief moment; a short while
Definition
一刻 means 'a very brief moment' (literally 'one quarter-hour'), used in set phrases like 一刻钟 ('a quarter of an hour'). It emphasizes that even a short time feels long or matters — often with 也不, 也离不开, 也停不下来.
noun
a brief momenta short while
Examples
- 一刻。Tā yī kè bù tíng dì gōng zuò.She works without stopping for a moment.
- 一刻。Qǐng děng wǒ yī kè zhōng.Please wait for me a quarter of an hour.
- 一刻。Tā yī kè yě lí bù kāi shǒu jī.He can't leave his phone for a moment.
Appears in
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