时宜 (shí yí) — suitability for the occasion; appropriateness

Definition

A written, abstract noun meaning 'fitness for the occasion' — usually appears in phrases like 合时宜 or 不合时宜. The verb form 适宜 covers the same idea in a more neutral, neutral register.

noun
suitability for the occasionappropriateness

Examples

  • 时宜。
    Tā chuān de yī fu hěn hé shí yí.
    The clothes he wears are very appropriate for the occasion.
  • ，。
    Zài zàng lǐ shàng shuō xiào hua, shí zài bù shí yí.
    Telling jokes at a funeral is really inappropriate.
  • 时宜。
    Nǐ yào dǒng de kàn shí yí shuō huà.
    You need to know when it's appropriate to speak.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

时shíoccasion
宜yíappropriateness

时 names the occasion, and 宜 gives what is fitting, so it means appropriateness for the occasion.

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.

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.

Open 时 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

宜 shows 且, a sacrificial altar, with 多, two pieces of meat, depicting two pieces of meat placed on the altar.

Open 宜 →

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