時

Stroke order

Stroke order

時 (Kangxi radical 72, 日+6, 10 strokes, cangjie input 日土木戈 (AGDI), four-corner 6404₁, composition ⿰日寺)

• 𠺮(𫪅), 塒(埘), 𡻄, 𭝿, 𪮛, 溡(𪶄), 榯, 𬌦(𬌠), 𤨅, 𥻵(𬖞), 𨃯, 𨫉, 鰣(鲥), 𪕵, 𪰰, 嵵, 蒔(莳), 𥱯, 𬰈

• 时 (Simplified Chinese)

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 494, character 22
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13890
• Dae Jaweon: page 859, character 15
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1505, character 5
• Unihan data for U+6642

Historical forms of the character 時
Shang	Warring States		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *djɯ) : semantic 日 (“sun; day”) + phonetic 寺 (OC *ljɯs). The phonetic component however represents a footprint pointing up, which could be linked to the concept of the movement of the sun and hence the passing of time.

In ancient scripts, it had the form 旹, with 之 (OC *tjɯ) as the phonetic instead (as well as a reference to the passing of time). The component 寸 was added later.

"time", "duration"

From 之 (OC *tjɯ, “to go; to proceed”) + endopassive voicing + endoactive tone B (OC *-ʔ > expected MC 上聲), literally “that which is proceeding” (Schuessler, 2007). The glottal stop was however lost, probably due to confusion with the pronoun sense.

"this"

An unemphatic form of 是 (OC *djeʔ, “this”) (Pulleybank, 1995). Cognate with 之 (OC *tjɯ, “this; third-person pronoun”) (Schuessler, 2007).

時

1. season

   四時／四时  ―  sìshí  ―  four seasons

   農時／农时  ―  nóngshí  ―  farming season

2. time (a duration)

   那時／那时  ―  nàshí  ―  at that time

   平時／平时  ―  píngshí  ―  normally; usually

   上課時不要玩手機。 [MSC, trad.]
   上课时不要玩手机。 [MSC, simp.]

   Shàngkè shí bùyào wán shǒujī.

   Do not use your phone when in class.

   • 少之時，血氣未定，戒之在色。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     少之时，血气未定，戒之在色。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Shào zhī shí, xuèqì wèi dìng, jiè zhī zài sè.

     In youth, when the constitution of his body is not yet formed, he should beware of lust.

3. time (the passing of time)

   沉寂多時／沉寂多时  ―  chénjì duōshí  ―  to have remained silent for a long time

   時不我待／时不我待  ―  shíbùwǒdài  ―  time waits not for us

   • 及年歲之未晏兮，時亦猶其未央。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     及年岁之未晏兮，时亦犹其未央。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE

     Jí niánsuì zhī wèi yàn xī, shí yì yóu qí wèiyāng.

     While we are still young, we have plenty of time to put our talent to good use.

4. times; years; era

   古時／古时  ―  gǔshí  ―  ancient times

   時移世易／时移世易  ―  shíyíshìyì  ―  times have changed and so have things

5. time; fixed time

   按時／按时  ―  ànshí  ―  on time; on schedule

   • 孺子蚤寢晏起，唯所欲，食無時。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     孺子蚤寝晏起，唯所欲，食无时。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

     Rúzǐ zǎoqǐnyànqǐ, wéi suǒ yù, shí wú shí.

     The children go earlier to bed, and get up later, according to their pleasure. There is no fixed time for their meals.

6. double-hour

   子時／子时  ―  zǐshí  ―  the hours of the rat (11:00pm to 1:00am)

7. hour; o’clock (mainly in formal writing)

   Synonym: 點 / 点 (diǎn)

   八時一刻／八时一刻  ―  bā shí yīkè  ―  a quarter past eight o'clock

8. opportunity; chance

   • 好從事而亟失時，可謂知乎？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     好从事而亟失时，可谓知乎？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Hào cóngshì ér qì shīshí, kě wèi zhī hū?

     Can he be called wise, who is anxious to be employed and yet misses every chance that comes to him of being employed?

9. current; contemporary

   時事／时事  ―  shíshì  ―  current affairs

   時局／时局  ―  shíjú  ―  current political situation

10. that time

    • 科斗書廢已久，時人無能知者 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      科斗书废已久，时人无能知者 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: 孔安國(dubious)《尚書序》

      kēdǒushū fèi yǐ jiǔ, shírén wú néng zhī zhě

      The ancient writing has been obsolete for a long time, and now there are none who can read it.

    • 時雞鳴月落，星光照曠野，百步見人。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      时鸡鸣月落，星光照旷野，百步见人。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: c. 1670, 魏禧, 《大鐵椎傳》

      Shí jīmíng yuèluò, xīngguāng zhào kuàngyě, bǎi bù jiàn rén.

      It was cockcrow then, and the moon had already set. On the starlit fields the visibility was so good that people could see one another within a hundred paces.

11. occasionally; from time to time

    時快時慢／时快时慢  ―  shí kuài shí màn  ―  sometimes fast, sometimes slow; in a variable speed

    時有發生／时有发生  ―  shí yǒu fāshēng  ―  to occur from time to time

12. (literary) timely

    • 孔子，聖之時者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      孔子，圣之时者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

      Kǒngzǐ, shèng zhī shí zhě yě.

      Confucius was the timely sage.

13. (obsolete) beautiful; good

    • 爾酒既旨、爾殽既時。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
      尔酒既旨、尔淆既时。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

      Ěr jiǔ jì zhǐ, ěr yáo jì shí.

      Since your spirits are good, and your viands are all of the season.

14. (obsolete) this

    • 時日曷喪？予及汝偕亡。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      时日曷丧？予及汝偕亡。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE

      Shí rì hé sàng? Yú jí rǔ xié wáng.

      Oh this sun (as self-proclaimed by Xia Jie), may you perish betimes, even though I perish with you!

15. (grammar) tense

    過去時／过去时  ―  guòqùshí  ―  past tense

16. a surname

Others:

• → Vietnamese: giờ

• “時”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A01794
• “Entry #6027”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

• Go-on: じ (ji, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: し (shi)
• Kun: とき (toki, 時, Jōyō)
• Nanori: これ (kore)、ちか (chika)、はる (haru)、もち (mochi)、ゆき (yuki)、よし (yoshi)、より (yori)

• 時化(しけ) (shike)
• 時雨(しぐれ) (shigure)
• 時計(とけい) (tokei)
• 時鳥(ほととぎす) (hototogisu)

⟨to₂ki₁⟩ → */təkʲi/ → /toki/

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *təki. First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.^[1]

There are various theories regarding the ultimate derivation.

• Possibly a fusion of 常 (toko-, prefix for “always, unchanging”) +‎ い (i, Old Japanese nominal particle).

However, the sense of “unchanging” does not fit well with the sense of “the passing of time”. Separately, the phonetics of Old Japanese ⟨ki₁⟩ → /kʲi/ appear to contraindicate a fusion of /ko/ + /i/, which resulted in ⟨ki₂⟩ → /kʷi/ as seen at 木.

• Possibly derived from or otherwise related to 疾し (toshi, “sharp; happening quickly”), cognate with 研ぐ (togu, “to sharpen”).

However, the historical spelling of toshi was to₁(si), as in 那杼佐祁流斗米 (nado₁ sake₁ru to₁ me₂, "why do you have knife cutting eyes").^[2]

• Possibly related to 年 (toshi, “year”).

• (Tokyo) とき (Odaka – )^[3][4][5][6]
• IPA^(key):

時(とき) • (toki) 

1. time

   時(とき)の流(なが)れ ― toki no nagare ― the flow of time

   • 1995 June 1 [1993 February 17], Yōzaburō Kanari with Satō, Fumiya, “オペラ座(ざ)館(かん)殺(さつ)人(じん)事(じ)件(けん)④ [The Opera House Murder Case ④]”, in 金(きん)田(だ)一(いち)少(しょう)年(ねん)の事(じ)件(けん)簿(ぼ) [Young Kindaichi Case Files], 14th edition, volume 1 (fiction), Tokyo: Kodansha, →ISBN, page 186:

     動(うご)くな‼じっとしてるんだ‼時(と)間(き)が来(く)れば犯(はん)人(にん)は自(じ)分(ぶん)から名(な)のり出(で)る‼

     Ugoku na‼ Jitto shiteru n da‼ Toki ga kureba hannin wa jibun kara nanorideru‼

     Nobody move‼ Keep still‼ When the time comes, the culprit will show their true identity of their own accord‼

   1. an event, case, occasion, moment; a specific period in time

      困(こま)った時(とき)は私(わたし)に相(そう)談(だん)してください。

      Komatta toki wa watashi ni sōdan shite kudasai.

      Please consult with me when troubled (in times of trouble).

   2. a time of something
   3. (literary) the time during which a narrative takes place

      時(とき)は冬(ふゆ)

      toki wa fuyu

      It was winter,

   4. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

      時(とき)の大統領(だいとうりょう)

      toki no daitōryō

      contemporary president; president at the time

2. a season
3. a tense

• → Yami: toki

時(どき) • (-doki) 

1. time of..., time for...

時(とき) • (Toki) 

1. a female given name

• “時／とき”, in 語源由来辞典 (Gogen Yurai Jiten, “Etymology Derivation Dictionary”) (in Japanese), 2003–2024.

/ʑi/ → /ʑi//d͡ʑi/

From Middle Chinese 時 (MC dzyi).

• IPA^(key):

• The pitch accent depends on the entire appended word.

時(じ) • (-ji) 

1. hour, o’clock

   時(と)計(けい)を見(み)ると、ちょうど １２(じゅうに)時(じ) ３４(さんじゅうよん)分(ぷん) ５６(ごじゅうろく)秒(びょう)だった。

   Tokei o miru to, chōdo jūni-ji sanjūyon-pun gojūroku-byō datta.

   When I looked at the clock, it was just 12:34 and 56 seconds.

   • 1987 February 20 [1982 November 15], Motoka Murakami, “嵐(らん)子(こ)再(ふたた)びの巻(まき) [Reunite with Ranko]”, in 六(ム)三(サ)四(シ)の剣(けん) [Musashi’s Sword], 18th edition, volume 7 (fiction), Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 154:

     オラ、夏(なつ)木(き)六(ム)三(サ)四(シ)！６(ろく)月(がつ)３(みっ)日(か)の４(よ)時(じ)に生(う)まれだから六(ム)三(サ)四(シ)‼まんずよろしく‼

     Ora, Natsuki Musashi! Rokugatsu mikka no yoji ni umareda kara Musashi‼ Manzu yoroshiku‼

     Mah name’s Natsuki Musashi! It’s Musashi because ah was born on June 3 at four o'clock!! Nice to meet y’all!!

時(じ) • (-ji) 

1. at the time of...

時(じ) • (ji) 

1. time, moment
2. at that time, chance, occasion
3. hour, hourly