Meaning of 过时
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- old-fashioned
- out of date
- to be later than the time stipulated or agreed upon
How to use 过时
过时 usually describes clothes, ideas, technology, or information that is no longer current. It often follows 已经 (yǐjīng) or 有点 (yǒudiǎn). Example: 这种手机已经过时了。(Zhè zhǒng shǒujī yǐjīng guòshí le.) This kind of phone is already out of date.
过 (guò) means to pass, and 时 (shí) means time. When something has passed its time, it is 过时: out of date.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes use 过时 to mean someone is late for a meeting. For being late, say 迟到 (chídào), and keep 过时 mostly for things that are old-fashioned or past a set deadline.
过时 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.
过 guò · to cross · 6 strokes
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时 shí · o'clock · 7 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 过时.
| 时候 | shíhou | time; length of time |
| 时间 | shíjiān | (concept of) time; (duration of) time |
| 小时 | xiǎoshí | hour |
| 有时 | yǒushí | sometimes; now and then |
| 有时候 | yǒushíhou | sometimes |
| 不过 | bùguò | only; merely |
| 过来 | guòlái | to come over; to manage |
| 过去 | guòqù | (in the) past; former; previous; to go over; to pass by |
| 当时 | dāngshí | then; at that time |
| 通过 | tōngguò | to pass through; to get through; to adopt (a resolution); to pass (legislation) |
| 那时 | nà shí | then; at that time |
| 同时 | tóngshí | at the same time; simultaneously |
Questions about 过时
What does 过时 mean?
过时 (guòshí) means "old-fashioned; out of date" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 过时?
过时 is made of 2 characters: 过 (6 strokes), 时 (7 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 过时 an HSK word?
Yes. 过时 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 过时 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 过时 is written 過時.
What is the difference between 过时 and 老 (lǎo)?
老 simply means old and can be neutral or even warm, as in 老朋友 (lǎo péngyou), old friend. 过时 means something is no longer in style or no longer valid, so it is usually negative.
How do I say something will never go out of style?
You can say 永不过时 (yǒng bù guòshí), never out of date. It is common in fashion and advertising, for example 经典永不过时 (jīngdiǎn yǒng bù guòshí), classics never go out of style.