时有发生 (shí yǒu fā shēng) — to happen from time to time; to occur occasionally

Definition

时有发生 (shí yǒu fāshēng) is a formal written phrase meaning 'occurs from time to time' — typically used to describe recurring events like accidents or problems in reports or news.

verb
to happen from time to timeto occur occasionally

Examples

  • 时有发生。
    Zhè zhǒng wèn tí zài shè huì shàng shí yǒu fā shēng.
    This kind of problem happens from time to time in society.
  • 时有发生,。
    Suī rán jiāo tōng shì gù shí yǒu fā shēng, dàn zǒng tǐ ān quán hái shì bú cuò de.
    Although traffic accidents occur occasionally, overall safety is still good.
  • 时有发生。
    Zì rán zāi hài zài zhè ge dì qū shí yǒu fā shēng.
    Natural disasters happen from time to time in this region.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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