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时辰 (shí chen) — one of the 12 two-hour periods of the day in traditional Chinese timekeeping; (literary) time, moment, hour

Definition

Traditional two-hour time period (12 divisions of a day) in classical Chinese timekeeping, also used in literary Chinese for 'time' or 'moment'. A more literary, classical alternative to 时间.

noun
one of the 12 two-hour periods of the day in traditional Chinese timekeeping(literary) timemomenthour
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 时辰。
    Gǔ dài rén bǎ yì tiān fēn chéng shí èr gè shí chen.
    Ancient people divided a day into twelve two-hour periods.
  • 时辰？
    Nǐ jì de tā lí kāi dí què qiè shí chen ma?
    Do you remember the exact time he left?
  • 时辰，。
    shí chen Yǐ dào, wǒ men chū fā ba.
    The hour has come; let's set out.

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
辰chéntime

时 and 辰 both carry the sense of time, naming a time or one of the old two-hour periods.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape shows a farming tool used for tilling and weeding, possibly made from a large clam shell. It may also picture a person gripping a cliff.

Open 辰 →
Appears in
Chinese Culture & CustomsTime of Day

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