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时刻 (shí kè) — (noun) moment, juncture, period of time; (adverb) constantly, always

Definition

As a noun, 时刻 means a specific moment or juncture in time (关键时刻 'critical moment'), narrower than 期间 ('a period'). As an adverb, it means 'constantly, always' — slightly more emphatic and literary than 经常.

noun
momentjunctureperiod of time
adverb
constantlyalways
Measure word · 个, 段

Examples

  • 时刻。
    Zhè shì yí gè zhòng yào de shí kè.
    This is an important moment.
  • 时刻。
    Wǒ huì shí kè jì zhù nǐ de bāng zhù.
    I will always remember your help.
  • 时刻，。
    Zài guān jiàn shí kè, tā zuò chū le zhèng què de jué dìng.
    At the critical moment, he made the right decision.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

时shítime
刻kèmoment

时 and 刻 both point to a moment, giving the sense of a point in time.

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 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 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài刻kè
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.

Open 刻 →
Appears in
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