Chinese word

周期

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhōu qī

Meaning

  • nouncycle

Example

这个药要一个周期才会见效。zhè ge yào yào yí gè zhōu qī cái huì jiàn xiào

This medicine becomes effective after one cycle.

Illustration for 周期 (cycle)

More examples

经济周期的波动会影响就业率。jīng jì zhōu qī de bō dòng huì yíng xiǎng jiù yè lǜ

Fluctuations in the economic cycle affect the employment rate.

Core concept

One complete interval between matching points in a process that repeats.

Common phrases

  • 经济周期jīng jì zhōu qī

    economic cycle

  • 更换周期gēng huàn zhōu qī

    replacement cycle

Similar words

循环xún huán: A repeated process or action that follows the same order each time.
频率pín lǜ: How many times a repeated event happens during a certain period of time.
周期性zhōu qī xìng: A regular pattern in which the same state or event returns at fixed intervals.

Definition in Chinese

指相邻两次相同状态之间的时间间隔，用来衡量重复现象的频率或节奏。zhǐ xiāng lín liǎng cì xiāng tóng zhuàng tài zhī jiān de shí jiān jiàn gé yòng lái héng liáng chóng fù xiàn xiàng de pín lǜ huò jié zòu

Word origin

周 (zhōu, "to go around") gives the sense of making a full round, while 期 (qī, "a time period") marks the time that round takes.

Usage tips

  • In everyday use, this word measures repeated events rather than naming a calendar unit, which makes it useful for discussing treatment progress, routines, and regular changes.

Other meanings

  • periodnoun

Opposites

  • 连续性lián xù xìngcontinuitynoun

Related words

  • 周期表zhōu qī biǎoperiodic tablenoun

Word lists with this word