时 shí GRAMMAR
HSK 2 · Grammar note

时 — how to use it in Chinese

when, at the time of
Time
时
when, at the time of
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Explanation

时 (shí) works as a suffix added to a verb or verb phrase to mean "when/while doing X": 吃饭时 (while eating), 上课时 (during class). It is more formal and written than 的时候 (de shíhou), its colloquial equivalent. Both are correct, but 时 appears more in written texts and 的时候 in everyday speech.

时 (shí) works as a suffix added to a verb or verb phrase to mean "when/while doing X": 吃饭时 (while eating), 上课时 (during class). It is more formal and written than 的时候 (de shíhou), its colloquial equivalent. Both are correct, but 时 appears more in written texts and 的时候 in everyday speech.

Example sentences
吃饭 chī fàn 时 shí 不要 bù yào 玩手机 wán shǒujī
Don't play with your phone while eating
时 shí 间 jiān
Time.
小时 xiǎo shí 很 hěn 长 cháng
An hour is long.
小 xiǎo 时候 shíhou 我 wǒ 住在 zhù zài 农村 nóngcūn
When I was young I lived in the countryside
More HSK2 grammar
啊 a 别 bié 白色 báisè 不好意思 bù hǎoyìsi 不错 búcuò 帮 bāng 帮忙 bāngmáng 比 bǐ

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