TongTong
Sign in

此时 (cǐ shí) — (formal, literary) now; at this moment

Definition

Formal, literary 'at this moment' — used in writing or narrative, unlike the colloquial 现在. Nearly identical to 此刻; both point to the very same instant.

noun
(formal, literary) nowat this moment

Examples

  • 此时，。
    cǐ shí, Fáng jiān lǐ fēi cháng ān jìng.
    At this moment, the room was very quiet.
  • 此时，。
    cǐ shí, Tā zhōng yú zuò chū le jué dìng.
    At this moment, she finally made a decision.
  • 此时，。
    cǐ shí, Wài miàn xià qǐ le dà yǔ.
    At this moment, it started raining heavily outside.

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.

此cǐthis
时shítime

此 + 时 = 此时: this time, i.e. now.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

此 shows 止 (feet) and 人 (person), drawing a person stopping, to mean 'this' or 'here.'

Open 此 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Time (Abstract)

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