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时间 (shí jiān) — time; period (a length or duration of time)

Definition

时间 means 'time' in the sense of a duration or amount of time you have (有时间 = have time). 时候 means a point or period in time (when); 时 is a shorter, more formal version. 时间表 is 'schedule/timetable'.

noun
timeperiod (a length or duration of time)
Measure word · 段

Examples

  • ？
    Jīn tiān nǐ yǒu shí jiān ma?
    Do you have time today?
  • 时间。
    Tā jīn tiān méi yǒu shí jiān.
    He doesn't have time today.
  • 时间。
    Wǒ men yě yǒu hěn duō shí jiān.
    We also have a lot of time.

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
间jiāntime

时 and 间 both refer to time, so the word names time or a period.

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 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 间 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 1500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 21000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsTime (Abstract)2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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