Meaning of 时期
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- period
- phase
Measure word: 個|个
How to use 时期
时期 names a longer period marked by certain conditions or events, such as a stage of life, history, or a special situation. It often follows a describing phrase with 的 or appears in fixed patterns like 特殊时期. Example: 这是我人生中最困难的时期。(Zhè shì wǒ rénshēng zhōng zuì kùnnan de shíqī.) This was the hardest period of my life.
时 (shí) means time, and 期 (qī) is the same 期 you see in 星期 (xīngqī, week), a set stretch of days. Put together, 时期 is a stretch of time with its own character, like a phase or era.
Common mistake: Learners often use 时期 where 时候 (shíhou) fits, as in 我小时期 instead of 我小时候 (when I was little). 时候 points to a moment or general time, while 时期 is a defined phase and sounds more formal.
时期 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
时 shí · o'clock · 7 strokes
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期 qī · a period of time · 12 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 时期.
| 时候 | shíhou | time; length of time |
| 时间 | shíjiān | (concept of) time; (duration of) time |
| 小时 | xiǎoshí | hour |
| 星期 | xīngqī | week; day of the week |
| 有时 | yǒushí | sometimes; now and then |
| 有时候 | yǒushíhou | sometimes |
| 日期 | rìqī | date |
| 星期天 | xīngqītiān | Sunday |
| 星期日 | xīngqīrì | Sunday |
| 当时 | dāngshí | then; at that time |
| 那时 | nà shí | then; at that time |
| 同时 | tóngshí | at the same time; simultaneously |
Questions about 时期
What does 时期 mean?
时期 (shíqī) means "period; phase" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 时期?
时期 is made of 2 characters: 时 (7 strokes), 期 (12 strokes). That is 19 strokes in total.
Is 时期 an HSK word?
Yes. 时期 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 时期 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 时期 is written 時期.
What is the difference between 时期 and 时代 (shídài)?
时代 usually means a whole era or age on a large historical scale, like 信息时代 (the information age). 时期 can be large or small, from a historical period to a few months in one person's life.
Can 时期 be used in casual conversation?
Yes, but it sounds a bit serious. In everyday talk people often say 那段时间 (nà duàn shíjiān, that period of time) instead, while 时期 is common in news, writing, and history.