Chinese word

这时候

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhè shí hòu

Meaning

  • nounat this time

Example

这时候他正在看电视。zhè shí hòu tā zhèng zài kàn diàn shì

At this time, he was watching TV.

Illustration for 这时候 (at this time)

More examples

这时候他才走出房间。zhè shí hòu tā cái zǒu chū fáng jiān

At this time, he finally walked out of the room.

Core concept

Marks the time window that the current situation belongs to.

Common phrases

  • 这时候才zhè shí hòu cái

    only then

  • 这时候就zhè shí hòu jiù

    right then

Similar words

这时zhè shí: Refers to the particular moment or brief period being discussed.
时候shí hòu: Refers generally to the time or period when something happens.
现在xiàn zài: Refers to the present time or the current situation.
那时候nà shí hòu: Refers to a time or period in the more distant past from the story's point of reference.

Definition in Chinese

用于指示当前叙述中所指的那个时间点或那段时间，常用于描述当时情形或动作发生的时间。yòng yú zhǐ shì dāng qián xù shù zhōng suó zhǐ de nà ge shí jiān diǎn huò nà duàn shí jiān cháng yòng yú miáo shù dāng shí qíng xíng huò dòng zuò fā shēng de shí jiān

Word origin

这 (zhè, "this") + 时候 (shíhou, "time; period") means the time period connected with the current point in the story or conversation.

Usage tips

  • The marked time can cover a short stretch rather than one exact second, so it fits descriptions of an action in progress.

Other meanings

  • at this pointnoun
  • around this timenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word