时期 (shí qī) — period, phase | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

时期 marks a stretch of time with a clear identity (an era, a stage in history or life). Pairs with 阶段 when something is one phase in a larger process; 期间 is a shorter window specifying when something happens.

noun

periodphase

Measure word · 个

Examples

时期。
Zhè ge shí qī de tiān qì hěn hǎo.
The weather during this period is very good.
时期。
Nà ge shí qī tā qù le hěn duō dì fāng.
During that period, he went to many places.
时期。
Zhè shì yí gè zhòng yào de shí qī.
This is an important period.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

期qīperiod

时 and 期 both refer to time, together meaning a stretch or phase of 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.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

其

其qí期qī

Same sound today

The original form paired 其 for its sound with 日 (sun). A related form changed that sun to 月, and this later developed into 期.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Time (Abstract)3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.