Meaning of 有时
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- sometimes; now and then
How to use 有时
有时 usually goes before the verb or at the start of a sentence, and it is often repeated to contrast two situations: 有时……有时…… (sometimes... other times...). Example: 我有时在家吃饭。(Wǒ yǒushí zài jiā chīfàn.) I sometimes eat at home.
有时 is built from 有 (yǒu) "to have" and 时 (shí) "time". If you "have times" when you do something, you do it sometimes.
Common mistake: Learners often put 有时 at the end of the sentence like English "sometimes", as in 我喝茶有时. It belongs before the verb: 我有时喝茶 (wǒ yǒushí hē chá).
有时 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.
有 yǒu · to have · 6 strokes
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时 shí · o'clock · 7 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 有时.
| 没有 | méiyǒu | haven't; hasn't |
| 还有 | hái yǒu | there still remain(s); there is (or are) still; in addition |
| 时候 | shíhou | time; length of time |
| 时间 | shíjiān | (concept of) time; (duration of) time |
| 小时 | xiǎoshí | hour |
| 有些 | yǒuxiē | some; somewhat; rather; a bit |
| 有时候 | yǒushíhou | sometimes |
| 有用 | yǒuyòng | useful |
| 有名 | yǒumíng | famous; well-known |
| 有的 | yǒude | (there are) some (who are...); some (exist) |
| 有一些 | yǒuyīxiē | somewhat; rather |
| 所有 | suǒyǒu | all; to have; to possess; to own |
Questions about 有时
What does 有时 mean?
有时 (yǒushí) means "sometimes; now and then" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 有时?
有时 is made of 2 characters: 有 (6 strokes), 时 (7 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 有时 an HSK word?
Yes. 有时 is on the HSK 1 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 有时 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 有时 is written 有時.
What is the difference between 有时 and 有时候?
They mean the same thing, sometimes. 有时候 (yǒu shíhou) is a little more common in casual speech, while 有时 is shorter and a bit more neutral or written.
How do I say "sometimes... and sometimes..." with 有时?
Repeat it in two clauses: 他有时很忙，有时很闲。(Tā yǒushí hěn máng, yǒushí hěn xián.) He is sometimes busy and sometimes free. This pattern shows how something changes from time to time.