Definition
时 (shí) is a versatile noun meaning 'time' in a general sense, and as a classifier it means 'hour' (used after numbers, e.g., 八时 '8 o'clock'). It is more formal and literary than the everyday 时候 (shíhou 'time, moment') and is often used in fixed expressions or written contexts. For the 'hour' meaning, 小时 (xiǎo shí) is the standard noun, while 时 as a classifier is slightly more formal or used in schedules.
noun
timeperiodseason
classifier
hour (used after numbers; also seen in 小时)
Easily confused
- 村cūnlook-alikevillage
- 是shìsound-aliketo be (linking verb, followed by a noun or noun phrase)
- 对duìlook-alike(adjective) correct, right
- 事shìsound-alikething; matter; affair
- 试shìsound-aliketo try; to test
- 使shǐsound-aliketo cause, to make (someone do something)
- 十shísound-aliketen
- 室shìsound-alikeroom (often as a suffix in compound words)
- 屎shǐsound-alikefeces; excrement; stool
- 式shìsound-alike(suffix) -style; -type; -form; -pattern
Examples
- 。Wǒ méiyǒu shí jiān le.I have no time (left).
- 。Wǒ měitiān gōngzuò bā xiǎo shí.I work eight hours a day.
- ，。Nà shí, wǒ zài jiālǐ.At that time, I was at home.
Grammar
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