时势 (shí shì) — the current situation, the trend of the times

Definition

A literary, written term for the current situation and the direction events are heading — emphasizes how 'the times' drive outcomes, stronger and more abstract than 情况 or 形势. Common in set phrases like 时势造英雄.

noun
the current situationthe trend of the times
Easily confused

Examples

  • 时势。
    Wǒ men yào gēn jù shí shì de biàn huà lái tiáo zhěng cè lüè.
    We need to adjust our strategies according to changes in the current situation.
  • 时势。
    shí shì Zào jiù le xǔ duō wěi dà de sī xiǎng jiā.
    The times have produced many great thinkers.
  • 时势，。
    Zài dāng shí de shí shì xià, tā zuò chū le zhèng què de xuǎn zé.
    Under the current situation at that time, he made the right choice.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

时shítime
势shìsituation

Time and situation combine to mean the trend of the current era.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 勢; 势 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì勢shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 勢 combines 力, meaning power, with 埶 for the sound. The simplified 势 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 势 →

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