划时代 (huà shí dài) — epoch-making, groundbreaking, landmark | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

划时代 (huà shí dài) means 'epoch-making' — describes a single event, invention, or work that marks a new era. Unlike 开天辟地 (from the Pangu myth), it is not idiomatic and applies to real-world milestones rather than mythical creation.

adjective

epoch-makinggroundbreakinglandmark

Examples

划时代。
Zhè xiàng fā míng jù yǒu huà shí dài de yì yì.
This invention has epoch-making significance.
划时代。
Nà bù diàn yǐng shì diàn yǐng shǐ shàng huà shí dài de zuò pǐn.
That film is a landmark work in film history.
划时代。
Shǒu jī de pǔ jí shì xiàn dài shè huì huà shí dài de biàn huà.
The popularization of mobile phones is an epoch-making change in modern society.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

时代era

时shítime代dàiera

联合Coordinate

To 划 (mark) a 时代 (era) means epoch-making.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

戈

戈gē划huá

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

划 is made of 刀, a knife, and 戈, a weapon. The 戈 part gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 時; 时 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

日日rìsun; day

Sound part声符shēngfú

之

之zhī時shí

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 時 pairs 日 (sun/day) with 之 as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 时 is not the form described.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻弋代

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

弋

弋yì代dài

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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