Definition
何时 is the formal, literary equivalent of the everyday question word 什么时候 ('when?'). You'll encounter it in written Chinese — news headlines, classical texts, formal speeches, and song lyrics — but rarely in casual conversation. It carries a slightly elevated register, so using it in speech can sound poetic or overly formal.
pr.
when? (formal, literary)
Examples
- 何时?hé shí cáinéng shíxiàn hépíng?When can peace be achieved?
- 何时,。Wǒmen hé shí chūfā, hái xū děng tōngzhī.When we depart still awaits notice.
- 何时。Jūn wèn guī qī hé shí yǒu.You ask when I will return.
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