时
時shí
#25 most
frequent character
time, times, hour, season, tense
noun
Character breakdown
Source: Make Me a Hanzi.
时 has 日 sun as the meaning part, hinting at seasons, and 寸 stands for the old sound part 寺. It first meant 'the four seasons'. That grew to 'time period', 'double hour', and 'hour'.
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Example Sentences
现在是下午三点了。
xiànzài shì xiàwǔ sān diǎnle 。
It is now three o'clock in the afternoon.
我每天都有固定的学习时间。
wǒ měitiān dūyǒu gùdìng de xuéxí shíjiān 。
I have a fixed study time every day.
春天是一个美好的季节。
chūntiān shì yígè měihǎo de jìjié 。
Spring is a beautiful season.
Grammar Points
Same Characters, Different Readings
Words with similar meanings
时间shíjiān
time
A more specific term for time, often used in contexts relating to duration or time period.
时代shídài
era
Refers to a specific historical period or age, focusing more on context than the general concept of time.
季节jìjié
season
Refers specifically to one of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, winter).
Homophones
Words Starting With 时
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