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每时每刻 (měi shí měi kè) — at all times, at every moment, constantly

Definition

An emphatic idiom meaning 'every single moment, constantly' — stronger than just 经常, used when every moment matters (e.g. caring, being ready, changing).

idiom
at all timesat every momentconstantly

Examples

  • ，每时每刻。
    Suī rán wǒ lí dé hěn yuǎn, dàn wǒ měi shí měi kè dōu zài xiǎng niàn nǐ.
    Even though I'm far away, I miss you every single moment.
  • ，每时每刻。
    Zuò wéi yī shēng, tā měi shí měi kè zhǔn bèi zhe qiǎng jiù bìng rén.
    As a doctor, he is ready to rescue patients at every moment.
  • 每时每刻，。
    Shè huì zài měi shí měi kè fā shēng biàn huà, wǒ men yào bú duàn xué xí.
    Society is changing every moment; we must keep learning.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

每时every time
每měievery时shítime
偏正Modifier + head
每刻every moment
每měievery刻kèmoment
偏正Modifier + head

每时 covers every time and 每刻 every moment, together meaning constantly.

Characters in this word

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

每 shows 母, a woman, with a top part resembling 屮. That part may represent a hairpin marking her as grown up, or a sprout marking her as ready to marry and have children.

Open 每 →

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 →

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

每 shows 母, a woman, with a top part resembling 屮. That part may represent a hairpin marking her as grown up, or a sprout marking her as ready to marry and have children.

Open 每 →

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
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài刻kè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刻 is made of 刂, a form of 刀 (knife), and 亥, which gives the sound.

Open 刻 →
Appears in
Frequency & Duration

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