shíhou: 时候 - Time, When, Moment

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• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 时候 (shíhou), one of the first and most important words for any beginner. This page breaks down how to use “shíhou” to ask “when?” (什么时候), describe a specific moment or period (…的时候), and talk about time in everyday conversation. Discover the key difference between 时候 (shíhou) and 时间 (shíjiān) with practical examples to avoid common mistakes and master this fundamental building block of the Chinese language.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shíhou
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: A point or period in time; a moment.
• In a Nutshell: 时候 (shíhou) is the word you use when you're pointing to a specific “when” on a timeline. It's not about “time” as a big, abstract concept (like “I don't have time”), but about the specific moment something happens. Think of it as “the time of…” or “the moment that…”. It's the foundation for asking “When?” and for saying “When I was…” in Chinese.

• 时 (shí): This character means “time,” “hour,” or “season.” The left part is a sun radical (日), representing the passage of days. The right part (寸) is an ancient measurement. So, you can think of it as “measuring the sun's movement” — measuring time.
• 候 (hòu): This character means “to wait” or “to expect.” The left part is the person radical (亻), suggesting someone is involved. The right part is a phonetic component.
• Combined Meaning: The two characters together, “time” (时) and “to wait/expect” (候), create the concept of a specific, awaited, or designated point in time — a moment.

While 时候 (shíhou) isn't a deep cultural term like 关系 (guānxi), its structure reveals a common pattern in Chinese thinking: framing time around events. In English, we say, “I listen to music when I drive.” The word “when” is a simple conjunction. In Chinese, the structure is “我开车的时候听音乐 (Wǒ kāichē de shíhou tīng yīnyuè)”. Literally, this translates to “I, at the time of driving, listen to music.” This structure, `[Event] + 的时候`, is fundamental. It shows a tendency to anchor a secondary action to the time-frame of a primary event. Instead of a simple connector like “when,” Chinese uses a noun phrase, “the time of [event],” to set the scene. Mastering this structure is a key step from thinking in English to thinking in Chinese. It's a more descriptive and context-dependent way of linking clauses.

时候 (shíhou) is an extremely common, everyday word. Its usage is generally neutral and informal, but it appears in all registers of speech.

This is the standard, all-purpose way to ask “when?”. It's a question phrase that can be placed where the time information would normally go in a statement.

• 你什么时候下班？ (Nǐ shénme shíhou xiàbān?) - When do you get off work?
• 我们什么时候吃饭？ (Wǒmen shénme shíhou chīfàn?) - When are we going to eat?

This is arguably the most important structure to learn. It connects an event or action to a point in time, meaning “at the time of…” or “when…”.

• 我吃饭的时候，喜欢看电视。(Wǒ chīfàn de shíhou, xǐhuān kàn diànshì.) - When I eat, I like to watch TV.
• 他来的时候，我不在家。(Tā lái de shíhou, wǒ bù zàijiā.) - When he came, I wasn't home.

It's also used in phrases to refer to non-specific or relative periods of time.

• 那时候 (nà shíhou) - At that time; back then
• 这个时候 (zhège shíhou) - At this time; right now
• 小时候 (xiǎo shíhou) - In childhood; when one was little
• 有的时候 (yǒu de shíhou) - Sometimes (literally “there are times when…”)

• Example 1:
  • 你什么时候有空？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shénme shíhou yǒukòng?
  • English: When are you free?
  • Analysis: A classic use of `什么时候` to ask about time. `有空 (yǒukòng)` literally means “to have free time.”
• Example 2:
  • 我上大学的时候，认识了我最好的朋友。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shàng dàxué de shíhou, rènshile wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyǒu.
  • English: When I was in university, I met my best friend.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the `[Event] + 的时候` structure. The event is “attending university” (上大学).
• Example 3:
  • 这个时候你应该在工作，不是在玩手机。
  • Pinyin: Zhège shíhou nǐ yīnggāi zài gōngzuò, bùshì zài wán shǒujī.
  • English: At this time, you should be working, not playing on your phone.
  • Analysis: `这个时候` pins the action to the present moment. It carries a sense of immediacy.
• Example 4:
  • 那时候我们都没有钱，但是很快乐。
  • Pinyin: Nà shíhou wǒmen dōu méiyǒu qián, dànshì hěn kuàilè.
  • English: Back then we didn't have any money, but we were very happy.
  • Analysis: `那时候` is used to refer to a specific, but undefined, time in the past that both the speaker and listener are aware of.
• Example 5:
  • 有的时候，我只想一个人待着。
  • Pinyin: Yǒu de shíhou, wǒ zhǐ xiǎng yīgè rén dāizhe.
  • English: Sometimes, I just want to be alone.
  • Analysis: `有的时候` is a very common, slightly more conversational way of saying “sometimes,” equivalent to `有时 (yǒushí)`.
• Example 6:
  • 我小时候想当一名宇航员。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎo shíhou xiǎng dāng yī míng yǔhángyuán.
  • English: When I was little, I wanted to be an astronaut.
  • Analysis: `小时候` is a fixed phrase meaning “in one's childhood.” Notice there is no `的` here.
• Example 7:
  • 关键时候，你一定要冷静。
  • Pinyin: Guānjiàn shíhou, nǐ yīdìng yào lěngjìng.
  • English: At the critical moment, you must remain calm.
  • Analysis: Here, `时候` is modified by `关键 (guānjiàn)` meaning “crucial” or “key,” showing it can describe a qualitative type of moment.
• Example 8:
  • 天冷的时候，记得多穿件衣服。
  • Pinyin: Tiān lěng de shíhou, jìdé duō chuān jiàn yīfú.
  • English: When it's cold, remember to wear more clothes.
  • Analysis: This shows that the event before `的时候` doesn't have to be an action; it can be a state, like “the weather being cold.”
• Example 9:
  • 是时候出发了！
  • Pinyin: Shì shíhou chūfā le!
  • English: It's time to set off!
  • Analysis: `是时候…了` is a set pattern meaning “It's time to…” It signals that the right moment for an action has arrived.
• Example 10:
  • 你到时候就知道了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ dào shíhou jiù zhīdào le.
  • English: You'll know when the time comes.
  • Analysis: `到时候` is a fixed phrase that means “when the time arrives” or “when that time comes.” It's used to defer an explanation to a future point.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 时候 (shíhou) with 时间 (shíjiān).

• 时候 (shíhou): A point in time, a moment, an instance. Used with `when`.
• 时间 (shíjiān): Time as an abstract, measurable concept. A duration, the commodity of “time.”

Think of it this way:

• You ask `什么时候 (shénme shíhou)`? (At what point in time?)
• You ask `多长时间 (duō cháng shíjiān)`? (How long a duration of time?)

Common Mistake 1: Asking if someone “has time.”

• Incorrect: 你有什么时候吗？ (Nǐ yǒu shé me shíhou ma?) → This sounds like “Do you have a what-when?”
• Correct: 你有时间吗？ (Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma?) → Do you have time?

Common Mistake 2: Saying you need more time.

• Incorrect: 我需要更多时候。(Wǒ xūyào gèng duō shíhou.) → This means “I need more moments.”
• Correct: 我需要更多时间。(Wǒ xūyào gèng duō shíjiān.) → I need more time.

Rule of Thumb: If you can replace “time” with “moment” or “when…” in English, you probably need 时候. If you can replace “time” with “duration” or “hours/minutes,” you probably need 时间.

• 时间 (shíjiān) - The primary counterpart to `时候`. Refers to time as an abstract, measurable concept or duration.
• 当时 (dāngshí) - At that time; then. A more formal or written equivalent of `那时候`.
• 以后 (yǐhòu) - After; later; in the future. Used to place an event after another.
• 以前 (yǐqián) - Before; previously; in the past. Used to place an event before another.
• 点 (diǎn) - O'clock. Refers to a specific point on the clock (e.g., 三点 - 3 o'clock).
• 小时 (xiǎoshí) - Hour. Refers to a duration of 60 minutes.
• 期间 (qījiān) - Period; duration. A formal term used to describe a span of time (e.g., 在此期间 - during this period).
• 有时 (yǒushí) - Sometimes. A more formal or written alternative to `有的时候`.
• 同时 (tóngshí) - At the same time; simultaneously.