顷刻 (qǐng kè) — (literary conjunction) in an instant, in a mome…

Definition

Literary conjunction meaning 'in an instant' — sounds formal and written, not for everyday speech. Pairs with 之间 for the idiom 顷刻之间.

conjunction

(literary conjunction) in an instantin a moment

Easily confused

顷刻，。
qǐng kè Zhī jiān, tiān jiù hēi le.
In an instant, the sky turned dark.
顷刻。
Dà huǒ qǐng kè jiāng zhěng dòng lóu tūn shì.
The fire engulfed the entire building in an instant.
顷刻。
Tā de xīn qíng qǐng kè biàn de chén zhòng qǐ lái.
His mood became heavy in an instant.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

顷qǐngshort time

顷 and 刻 both name short time units, together meaning instantly.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頃; 顷 is its simplified writing.

匕頁頃

The traditional form 頃 combines 頁, a head, with 匕; it pictures a head tilted sideways.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亥刂刻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

刂Written in full as刀dāo

Sound part声符shēngfú

亥

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.