Chinese word

那会儿

Pronunciation

Pinyinnà huìr

Meaning

  • nounthen

Example

那会儿我很紧张。nà huìr wǒ hěn jǐn zhāng

I was very nervous then.

Illustration for 那会儿 (then)

More examples

从那会儿起，他每天跑步。cóng nà huìr qǐ tā měi tiān pǎo bù

Since then, he runs every day.

Core concept

A conversational pointer that opens a window onto a particular time in the past.

Common phrases

  • 从那会儿起cóng nà huìr qǐ

    since then

  • 到那会儿dào nà huìr

    until then

Similar words

那时nà shí: A past-time expression that identifies the point when an event occurred.
那时候nà shí hòu: A past-time expression that identifies the period when something was happening.
刚才gāng cái: A past-time expression for something that happened moments ago or very recently.
当时dāng shí: A past-time expression that presents an event together with its setting or circumstances.

Definition in Chinese

口语中作时间名词，指过去某一特定时刻或短暂那段时间，用于说明当时的情形。kóu yǔ zhōng zuò shí jiān míng cí zhǐ guò qù mǒu yí tè dìng shí kè huò duǎn zàn nà duàn shí jiān yòng yú shuō míng dāng shí de qíng xíng

Word origin

那 (nà, "that") selects a time from the surrounding story, and 会儿 (huìr, "short while") gives that time the shape of a brief period.

Usage tips

  • 那会儿 (nàhuìer, "back then") often sets the time before the main statement, helping a listener place a past feeling, event, or situation in its setting.

Other meanings

  • back thennoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word