Chinese word

临时

Pronunciation

Pinyinlín shí

Meaning

  • adverbtemporarily

Example

我们临时改变计划了。wǒ men lín shí gǎi biàn jì huà le

We temporarily changed the plan.

Illustration for 临时 (temporarily)

More examples

公司临时决定推迟面试。gōng sī lín shí jué dìng tuī chí miàn shì

The company decided at the last minute to postpone the interview.

Core concept

A plan or action is tied to a particular time rather than established as a lasting arrangement.

Common phrases

  • 临时改变计划lín shí gǎi biàn jì huà

    change the plan temporarily

  • 临时决定lín shí jué dìng

    make a last-minute decision

Similar words

暂时zàn shí: Describes a state or action lasting for now, without saying how long it will continue.
一时yì shí: Describes a state or action that continues for only a brief period.

Definition in Chinese

用于表示事情或安排不是永久，而是在特定时间内暂时生效，通常可作副词修饰动作，也可作形容词修饰事物。yòng yú biǎo shì shì qíng huò ān pái bú shì yóng jiǔ ér shì zài tè dìng shí jiān nèi zàn shí shēng xiào tōng cháng kě zuò fù cí xiū shì dòng zuò yě kě zuò xíng róng cí xiū shì shì wù

Word origin

临 (lín, "approach") + 时 (shí, "time") gives the idea of something arising in connection with a particular time, which extends naturally to short-lived arrangements and actions made near the event.

Usage tips

  • In everyday plans, 临时 (línshí, "temporary") often focuses on when a decision is made, so a last-minute change need not mean that the new plan will end quickly.

Other meanings

  • temporaryadjective
  • at the last minuteadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word