时间

Learning Chinese: How to Say "Time" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 时间
Pinyin: shí jiān
Pronunciation: shi2 jian1
English Translation: Time

Usage:

"时间 (shí jiān)" is the most common word for "time" in Chinese. It can be used to refer to both specific times of day and to the concept of time in general.

Example:

Chinese: 现在几点？
Pinyin: Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
English: What time is it now?

Chinese: 时间过得真快。
Pinyin: Shí jiān guò dé zhēn kuài.
English: Time flies.

Variations:

There are a few variations of "时间 (shí jiān)" that you may hear:

时候 (shí hou): Another word for "time," often used to refer to a specific time of day.
辰光 (chén guāng): A less common word for "time," often used in literary or poetic contexts.
Tips for Learning:

Practice saying "时间 (shí jiān)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers saying "time" to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "时间 (shí jiān)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.

Additional Notes:

"时间 (shí jiān)" is often used with measure words to indicate a specific amount of time. For example:

一个小时 (yī ge xiǎoshí): one hour
两分钟 (liǎng fēn zhōng): two minutes
三年 (sān nián): three years

"时间 (shí jiān)" can also be used in idioms and expressions. For example:

时间就是金钱 (shí jiān jiù shì jīn qián): Time is money.
一寸光阴一寸金 (yī cùn guāngyīn yī cùn jīn): Time is precious.