TongTong
Sign in

时时刻刻 (shí shí kè kè) — continuously; always; all the time

Definition

An emphatic adverbial meaning 'every moment, at all times' — stronger than 总是 and focuses on moment-by-moment attention rather than a general state.

bound form
continuouslyalwaysall the time

Examples

  • 时时刻刻。
    Tā shí shí kè kè dōu zài xiǎng zhe tā.
    He is thinking about her all the time.
  • 时时刻刻。
    Wǒ men bì xū shí shí kè kè zhù yì ān quán.
    We must always pay attention to safety.
  • 时时刻刻。
    Zhè ge hái zi shí shí kè kè lí bù kāi mā ma.
    This child cannot leave his mother for a moment.

Origin

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 →

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 →

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
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài刻kè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刻 is made of 刂, a form of 刀 (knife), and 亥, which gives the sound.

Open 刻 →

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
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài刻kè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刻 is made of 刂, a form of 刀 (knife), and 亥, which gives the sound.

Open 刻 →
Appears in
Frequency & Duration

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.