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届时 (jiè shí) — at the appointed time; when the time comes (formal)

Definition

届时 is a formal written adverb meaning 'at that time / when the time comes' — used in announcements and schedules, not in daily speech. Unlike 按时 ('on time') or 如期 ('as scheduled'), it refers forward to a future moment, not punctuality.

adverb
at the appointed timewhen the time comes (formal)

Examples

  • 届时，。
    jiè shí, Qǐng gè wèi dài biǎo zhǔn shí chū xí.
    At the appointed time, all representatives are requested to attend punctually.
  • ，届时。
    Běn cì huó dòng jiāng yú xià yuè jǔ xíng, jiè shí zài tōng zhī jù tǐ ān pái.
    This event will be held next month; specific arrangements will be announced when the time comes.
  • ，届时。
    Xīn xì tǒng míng nián yī yuè shàng xiàn, jiè shí zhèng shì qǐ dòng yùn yíng.
    The new system will go live in January next year and formally start operations at that time.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

届jièarrive
时shítime

'届' means arrive and '时' means time, so together they point to when the time arrives.

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 屆; 届 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shībody
Sound part声符shēngfú
凷
凷kuài屆jiè
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 屆, 尸 is the body part and 凷 is the sound part.

Open 届 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Time (Abstract)

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