always
总 是
zong3shi4
always, at all times
从 来
cong2lai2
always, all along, straight, continuously
一 直
yi4zhi2
You're always welcome to my home.
随 时 欢 迎 你 到 我 家 来 。
Sui2shi2 huan1ying2 ni3 dao4 wo3 jia1 lai2.
at any time, at all times, anytime
随 时
sui2shi2
now, at present, at the moment, nowadays
目 前
mu4qian2
Think for awhile.
想 一 下 。
Xiang3 yi2 xia4.
Come over for awhile.
来 一 下 。
Lai2 yi2 xia4.
ever since
从 那 时 起
cong2 na4 shi2 qi3
从 那 时 到 现 在
cong2 na4 shi2 dao4 xian4zai4
deadline
截 止 时 间
jie2zhi3 shi2jian1
to be able to do something on time
来 得 及
lai2deji2
You should come here on time, even if it rains.
即 使 下 雨 ， 你 也 应 该 按 时 到 。
Ji2shi3 xia4yu3, ni3 ye3 ying1gai1 an4shi2 dao4.
and again, finally (said as the last in the series of "zai4.... zai4..... zai4shuo1.... Used to give a list of alternatives, suggestions, or arguments)
再 说
zai4shuo1
to have free time (the r often is almost always added in Beijing)
有 空 儿
you3 kong4r
at once, immediately, directly
立 即
li4ji2
You came just at the right time. (just in time - this would be present tense in Chinese - past tense in English - refers to an immediate arrival)
你 来 得 真 巧 。
Ni3 lai2 de2 zhen1 qiao3
just a short while ago, a moment ago, just now
刚 才
gang1cai2
kind, turn, time (measure word)
蕃
fan1
last time, a previous occasion
上 次
shang4 ci4
to be late (used for people who are late -- see wan3dian3 晚 点 for trains, planes, and buses)
迟 到
chi2dao4
It's already late.
时 间 不 早 了 。
Shi2jian1 bu4 zao3 le.
I don't want to be late.
我 不 想 迟 到 。
Wo3 bu4 xiang3 chi2dao4.
to be late, to be behind schedule; late (used only for trains, planes, and buses, see chi2dao4 迟 到 for people)
晚 点
wan3dian3
in awhile, after awhile, later (this is oral use -- dai1 is usually dai4 except in this instance -- colloquial - hang around -- same meaning as guo4hui4r --- 50/50 in popularity --)
待 会 儿
dai1 hui4r
later on, in the future, after, afterwards
以 后
yi3hou4
later on
稍 后
shao1hou4
listened to the lecture several times
听 了 几 次 课
ting1 le ji3 ci4 ke4
many times, a lot of times
好 几 次
hao3ji3ci4
awhile; in a moment, a little while, presently (longer than yi2xia4 in duration)
一 会 儿
yi2hui4r
a very short period of time (used in speaking -- idiom phrase)
一 会 儿 工 夫
yi2hui4r gong1fu
at the same time, simultaneously; moreover, meanwhile
同 时
tong2shi2
She's taking a nap now.
她 现 在 在 睡 觉 。
Ta1 xian4zai4 zai4 shui4jiao4.
next time
下 次
xia4ci4
No matter how fast the train was, they couldn't get there on time.
不 管 火 车 多 快 ， 他 们 也 不 能 按 时 到 达 。
Bu4guan3 huo3che1 duo1kuai4, ta1men ye3 bu4 neng2 an4shi2 dao4da2.
now, nowadays
如 今
ru2jin1
occasion, time (measure word)
度
du4
frequently, often, usually (one of the adverbs which precedes time in the grammar of a sentence)
常 常
chang2chang2
on time, in time, appropriately, timely
及 时
ji2shi2
Please be here on time.
请 准 时 到 。
Qing3 zhun3shi2 dao4.
to say it once
说 一 遍
shuo1 yi2 bian4
to study one time through
学 一 遍
xue2 yi2 bian4
time, hour, season, scheduled time; now and then, occasionally
时
shi2
for a long time, long time
久 久
jiu3jiu3
in the course of time, as time passes
久 而 久 之
jiu3er2jiu3zhi1
to spend time (holidays), to pass (time)
period of time, spell; mw for a burst, fit
一 阵 子
yi2zhen4zi
have researched three times
研 究 了 三 次
yan2jiu1 le san1 ci4
Say it twice.
说 两 遍 。
Shuo1 liang3 bian4.
sometime
某 时
mou3shi2
sometimes, occasionally
有 时 候
you3 shi2hou
sometimes
有 的 时 候
you3de shi2hou
I sometimes go to the library to read magazines.
我 有 的 时 候 去 图 书 馆 看 杂 志 。
Wo3 you3de shi2hou qu4 tu2shu1guan3 kan4 za2zhi4.
from time to time, sometimes (not popular -- can be used when you want to complain about something and want to minimize the problem so your complaint doesn't seem impolite -- see "you3shi2" for sometimes, "jing1chang2" or "chang2chang2" for often, "o3er3" for occasionally)
时 不 时
shi2 bu4 shi2
at an early date, soon
早 日
zao3ri4
Sooner or later he'll come.
他 迟 早 会 来 的 。
Ta1 chi2zao3 hui4 lai2 de.
from then on, from now on
从 此
cong2ci3
From then on he was very happy. (often used in a story to tell what happened next.)
从 此 他 很 高 兴 。
Cong2ci3 ta1 hen3 gao1xing4.
He was only ten years-old at that time
当 时 他 只 有 十 岁 。
Dang1shi2 ta1 zhi3 you3 shi2 sui4.
by then
到 那 时 候
dao4 na4 shi2hou
now and then
时 而
shi2'er2
from then on
cong2 na4shi2 qi3
till then
到 那 时 为 止
dao4 na4shi2 wei2zhi3
since then
从 那 时 以 来
cong2 na4shi2 yi3lai2
从 那 以 后
cong2 na4 yi3hou4
to make time
抽 空 儿
chou1kong4r
Please, take a moment...
请 ， 抽 出 一 点 点 时 间 。。。
Qing3, chou1chu1 yi4 dian3dian3 shi2jian1...
Please give me a moment of time, a moment would be sufficient.
请 你 给 我 一 点 点 时 间 ，只 要 一 会 就 够 了 。
Qing3 ni3 gei3 wo3 yi4 dian3dian3 shi2jian1, zhi3 yao4 yi2 hui4 jiu4 gou4 le.
Do you have any spare time? (very colloquial -- same as saying "Ni3 you3 kong4r ma?" or preferably "You3 kong4r ma?")
你 有 工 夫 吗 ？
Ni3 you3 gong1fu ma?
spare time, leisure
空 儿
kong4(r)
Time flies. (time flies like an arrow, the sun and the moon change position like a shuttle - a tool used in weaving, netmaking -- a skilled workman can make the shuttle almost disappear due to speed -- unlike this translation, the Chinese sentence is very beautiful)
光 阴 似 箭 ， 日 月 如 梭
Guang1yin1 si4 jian4, ri4yue4 ru2 suo1.
time, instance (measure word for the number of occurrences in time)
次
ci4
second, next, order, position, sequence (first time = di4 yi2 ci4 -- also used as a measure word)
long time, lasting; for a long time
久
jiu3
time, times, flight, row (scheduled plane, train, car, row; verb measure word -- to mean to do something for a time qu4 tang4 -- go for a time)
趟
tang4
Do you have enough time to visit the Museum of Chinese History?
你 有 时 间 去 参 观 中 国 历 史 博 物 馆 吗 ？
Ni3 you3 shi2jian1 qu4 can1guan1 Zhong1guo2 Li4shi3 Bo2wu4guan3 ma?
time difference, jet lag
时 差
shi2cha4
to value one's time
珍 惜 时 间
zhen1xi1 shi2jian1
下 一 次
xia4 yi2ci4
time, times (indicates that something was completed from beginning to end. Some number of times, once, twice, three times...liang3 bian4 = twice. This measure word FOLLOWS the verb.)
遍
bian4
This is the third time I've come to Beijing.
这 是 我 第 三 次 到 北 京 来 。
Zhe4 shi4 wo3 di4san1ci4 dao4 Bei3jing1 lai2.
Each time you enter her living room, you're always able to see something new.
每 次 进 她 的 屋 子 都 能 看 到 一 些 新 的 东 西 。
Mei3 ci4 jin4 ta1 de wu1zi dou1 neng2 kan4dao4 yi4 xie1 xin1 de dong1xi.
ask two times
问 两 遍
wen4 liang3 bian4
time, turn
顿
dun4
time, turn, round (verb measure word)
遭
zao1
usually, ordinarily, in normal times
平 时
ping2shi2
to have a vacation, holiday, time off
休 假
xiu1jia4
I'm already awake.
我 已 经 醒 了 。
Wo3 yi3jing1 xing3 le.
Put the pan on the table, we'll clean it later.
把 盘 子 放 在 桌 子 上 ， 我 们 一 会 儿 洗 。
Ba3 pan2zi fang4 zai4 zhuo1zishang, wo3men yi2hui4r xi3.
when, during, at the time of
当
dang1
He was only 10 years-old when his father died.
当 他 爸 爸 去 世 时 ， 他 只 有 十 岁 。
Dang1 ta1 ba4ba qu4shi4 shi2, ta1 zhi3 you3 shi2 sui4.
whenever, every time
每 当
mei3dang1
If you can wait, dinner will be ready in a little while. (young people when speaking will often say yi2hui3r)
如 果 你 能 等 ， 晚 饭 一 会 儿 就 好 。
Ru2guo3 ni3 neng2 deng3, wan3fan4 yi2hui4r jiu4 hao3.
http://hua.umf.maine.edu/Chinese/topics/topics.html Last Update: January 2009 © Marilyn Shea 1999, 2001, 2004, 2008
