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这会儿 (zhè huì r) — (colloquial) now; at this moment; at present

Definition

pronoun
(colloquial) nowat this momentat present

Examples

  • 这会儿？
    Nǐ zhè huì r zài zuò shén me?
    What are you doing right now?
  • 这会儿。
    Tā zhè huì r yīng gāi dào jiā le.
    He should be home by now.
  • 这会儿，。
    zhè huì r Tài wǎn le, míng tiān zài shuō ba.
    It's too late now; let's talk tomorrow.

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.

这zhèthis
会儿moment
会huì儿ér

这 points to 'this' and 会儿 means 'a moment', together 'this moment'.

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 這; 这 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
言
言yán這zhè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 這, 辶 (walk) combines with 言 for the sound. The character first meant “to meet” and was later used for “this”.

Open 这 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

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

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →
Appears in
Time (Abstract)

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