有时候 (yǒu shí hou) — (adverb) sometimes, now and then

Definition

Adverb meaning 'sometimes, now and then' — a more general/frequent alternative to 偶尔 ('occasionally'), which feels rarer.

adverb

sometimesnow and then

Examples

有时候。
Wǒ yǒu shí hou huì qù kàn diàn yǐng.
I sometimes go watch movies.
有时候，。
yǒu shí hou, Wǒ men xū yào yí gè rén jìng yi jìng.
Sometimes we need some quiet time alone.
有时候。
Tā yǒu shí hou gōng zuò dào hěn wǎn.
He sometimes works until very late.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

又

又yòu有yǒu

Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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.