時候

時候

1. period of time

   上課的時候／上课的时候  ―  shàngkè de shíhou  ―  during class

   • 我在蒙自住過五個月，我的家也在那裡住過兩個月。我現在常常想起這個地方，特別是在人事繁忙的時候。蒙自小得好，人少得好。 [MSC, trad.]
     我在蒙自住过五个月，我的家也在那里住过两个月。我现在常常想起这个地方，特别是在人事繁忙的时候。蒙自小得好，人少得好。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 朱自清 (Zhu Ziqing), 《蒙自雜記》

     Wǒ zài Méngzì zhù guò wǔ ge yuè, wǒ de jiā yě zài nàlǐ zhù guò liǎng ge yuè. Wǒ xiànzài chángcháng xiǎngqǐ zhè ge dìfang, tèbié shì zài rénshì fánmáng de shíhou. Méngzì xiǎo de hǎo, rén shǎo de hǎo. [Pinyin]

     I lived in Mengzi for five months, and my family two months. I often think of the place now, especially when my social life is busy. Mengzi is good because it's small and sparsely populated.

2. a point in time

   到時候再決定吧。 [MSC, trad.]
   到时候再决定吧。 [MSC, simp.]

   Dào shíhou zài juédìng ba. [Pinyin]

   We'll decide later.

   時候不早了，趕快睡覺吧！ [MSC, trad.]
   时候不早了，赶快睡觉吧！ [MSC, simp.]

   Shíhou bùzǎo le, gǎnkuài shuìjiào ba! [Pinyin]

   It's getting late. Get to bed!

   這個時候該怎麼辦呢？ [MSC, trad.]
   这个时候该怎么办呢？ [MSC, simp.]

   Zhège shíhou gāi zěnme bàn ne? [Pinyin]

   What do I do at this moment?

   你知道現在是什麼時候了嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
   你知道现在是什么时候了吗？ [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ zhīdào xiànzài shì shénme shíhou le ma? [Pinyin]

   Do you know what time is it now?

3. (Classical) season and climate

Often placed at the end of a clause, and preceded by 的 (de), to indicate when something happens. For example:

• 當我想你的時候／当我想你的时候  ―  dāng wǒ xiǎng nǐ de shíhou  ―  when I think of you

Note that 當／当 (dāng) is often omitted, and that 時／时 (shí) (not preceded by 的 (de)) can also be used the same way.

• (time): 年數／年数 (niánshù), 年代 (niándài), (archaic) 年紀／年纪 (niánjì), 時間／时间 (shíjiān)

• “時候”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

Appears to be from Middle Chinese 時候 (MC dzyi huwH). The reading is a mix of older goon ji and relatively newer kan'on kō, suggesting a possible shift in reading after borrowing.

• (Tokyo) じこー [jìkóó] (Heiban – [0])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑiko̞ː]

時(じ)候(こう) • (jikō) 

1. the weather or climate of each of the four seasons

• Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN