当儿 (dāng r) — moment, instant; gap, space between

Definition

当儿 is a colloquial, often abbreviated (from 当(的)时候) way to say 'at that/this moment' — used in speech and writing for a brief point in time. The 'gap, space' sense means an interval between two things, not a physical opening.

noun
momentinstantgapspace between

Examples

  • 当儿，。
    Jiù zài nà dāng r, tā zǒu jìn le fáng jiān.
    Just at that moment, he walked into the room.
  • 当儿，。
    Liǎng zuò lóu zhī jiān yǒu yí gè dāng r, kě yǐ zhǒng xiē huā.
    There's a gap between the two buildings where you can plant some flowers.
  • 当儿，。
    Zài zhè ge dāng r, wǒ men zuì hǎo bǎo chí ān jìng.
    At this moment, we'd better keep quiet.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

当dāngtime
儿ér

当 refers to a time, and 儿 gives the colloquial sense of a 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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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 →

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