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时候 (時候)

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  • [shíhou]
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Collins Chinese-English Dictionary

时候 [shíhou]
  1. 1. noun time
    你什么时候上班?
    What time do you go to work?
    时候不早了,我们该睡觉了。
    It's late, and we should go to bed.

Comprehensive Chinese-English Dictionary

时候 [shíhou]
  1. 1. (the duration of) time
    农忙的时候
    a busy farming season
  2. 2. (a point in) time; moment
    现在是什么时候了?
    What time is it?
    就在这时候
    just at this moment

Contemporary Standard Chinese Dictionary

时候 [shíhou]
  1. 1. 指物质运动的存在形式,由过去、现在和将来构成的连绵不断的系统。是物质运动的持续性和顺序性的表现。
    等了多长时候
  2. 2. 指时间量
    他是什么时候到的天津?

Examples

什么时候方便,什么时候来。
Drop in whenever it's convenient.
按说这时候该下雪了。
Ordinarily it should be snowing at this time of the year.
你回去的时候,趁便给我带个口信。
When you go back, would you take a message for me?
什么时候都成。
Any time will do.
这本书什么时候出版?
When will the book be published?
那本坏书是什么时候出笼的?
When did that filthy book come out?
我说话的时候你别打岔。
Don't butt in while I'm talking.
你什么时候去开封,给我打个招呼。
When you go to Kaifeng, please let me know.
时候正是国难当头,爱国青年都纷纷到抗敌前线去。
The country was in imminent danger, and large numbers of patriotic young people left for the front to fight the enemy.
这张票据什么时候到期?
When does this bill mature (or become due)?

Word Decomposition


[shí]
+
[hòu]

nciku Note

时候 vs. 时间

时候 vs. 时间
shíhòu vs. shíjiān

时候 indicates "either a point of time or a period of time". 时间 can refer either to a continuous quantity from the past, through the present and into the future; or a point or period of time. 时候 is more colloquial than 时间.
(1) 现在是什么时候时间)了?
(2) 这个时间时候)出发也太早了吧?

In more literary language only 时间 is used.
(3) 我们时间紧迫!
(4) 上班时间不准抽烟。

时间 can function for the concept of time as the attributive and makes up phrases such as 时间跨度 (span of time), 时间观念 (the concept of time), etc.; 时候 cannot.

时候 can be qualified by 这 or 那 to show a point of time.
(5) 那时候我还不认识他。
(6) 这时候,他向我走了过来。

“时候”表示时点或时段,“时间”表示由过去、现在、未来构成的系统,也可表示某个时点或时段。“时候”比“时间”口语化。
在相当书面的语句中,只能用“时间”。
“时间”可作定语,构成“时间跨度”、“时间概念”等。“时候”不能。
“时候”可受“这”或“那”的修饰,表示一个时点。

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