此一时 (cǐ yī shí) — (part of idiom 此一时，彼一时) that was then — contrasting past and present

Definition

The first half of the set phrase 此一时，彼一时, meaning 'that was then' — used to contrast past and present circumstances. Always paired with 彼一时; the two halves form a fixed idiom.

idiom
(part of idiom 此一时，彼一时) that was then — contrasting past and present

Examples

  • “此一时，”。
    Hěn duō rén dōu zhī dào "cǐ yī shí, bǐ yì shí" zhè jù huà.
    Many people know the saying 'that was then, this is now.'
  • 此一时，，。
    cǐ yī shí, Bǐ yì shí, xiàn zài de qíng kuàng hé yǐ qián bù yí yàng le.
    That was then, this is now; the situation now is different from before.
  • ，此一时。
    Wǒ men bù néng yòng guò qù de biāo zhǔn lái héng liáng xiàn zài, yīn wèi cǐ yī shí.
    We can't use past standards to measure the present, because times have changed.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

此 shows 止 (feet) and 人 (person), drawing a person stopping, to mean 'this' or 'here.'

Open 此 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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 →

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