n.
time; duration
时间
time; duration
Time as a measurable duration or resource: 有时间 (have time), 没时间 (no time).
Common Usage & Traps
- 有时间 — have time; be free
- 没时间 — no time; not free
- 时间不够 — not enough time
- 什么时间 — what time; when (more formal)
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做时间找时间 / 抽时间English 'make time' does not translate as 做时间. Chinese uses 找时间 or 抽时间.
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现在是什么时间现在几点For current clock time, use 几点. 时间 means time as a concept or duration.
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有时候有时间有时候 means 'sometimes', not 'have time'. To say you have free time, use 有时间.
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时候不够时间不够时候 is a point or occasion, not a measurable amount of time.
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是时间走了是时候走了The fixed phrase for 'it's time to go' uses 时候, not 时间.
Why can you say 你有时间吗 but not 你有时候吗?
时间 is measurable time; 时候 is a moment or occasion.
时间 is the stuff you can save, waste, or run out of. 时候 is a point in time, like in 你什么时候来 or 我小的时候. If you mean free time or duration, use 时间. If you mean 'when' or 'that moment', use 时候. 你有时间吗 means 'Do you have time?'. 你有时候吗 sounds like 'Do you have sometimes?' and fails.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Have free time | 有时间 | 有时候 |
| Not enough time | 时间不够 | 时候不够 |
| It's time to go | 是时候走了 | 是时间走了 |
Why does 现在几点？
For clock time, ask 几点, not 时间.
时间 means time as a concept or duration, not a clock reading. 几点 literally asks 'which hour', so it is the normal way to ask the time. 现在几点？ or 现在几点了？ is what people actually say. 现在是什么时间？ sounds like you are asking what era or time period it is. Use 时间 in phrases like 你有时间吗 or 时间不够.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Current clock time | 现在几点？ | 现在是什么时间？ |
| Free time or duration | 有时间 / 时间不够 | 有几点 / 几点不够 |
| Exact hour | 三点 | 三时间 |
Why does 我有时间 mean 'I have time' but 我有时候 means 'I sometimes...'?
有时间 is 'have time'; 有时候 is a fixed word for 'sometimes'.
有 plus 时间 means you possess free time. 有时候 is not 'have a moment'; it means 'sometimes' and needs a verb after it. You can say 我现在有时间 = I have time now. You can say 我有时候喝茶 = I sometimes drink tea. Do not mix them: 我有时间喝茶 means I have time to drink tea.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Have free time | 有时间 | 有时候 |
| Occasionally | 有时候 + verb | 有时间 + verb |
| Ask if free | 你有时间吗？ | 你有时候吗？ |
Appears in Stories 5 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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这个季节，日照 时间 很长，所以也很热。
Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.
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而方便面油炸时的油温在145℃-165℃之间，而且油炸的 时间 只有几十秒钟。
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由于油炸温度低、 时间 短，不仅棕榈油不会被“炸坏”，而且方便面中的营养成分损失也比较少。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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有两千个小时这么多 时间 学习吗？
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我这四年要忙工作，说真话，没有很多 时间 学汉语。
Step through a full day—from morning routines to bedtime—and pick up practical phrases for telling time and talking about your own schedule with a typical Chinese rhyme.
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怎么说 时间 ？
Meet Xiao Shang, who is heading back to Shanghai. She compares two ways to travel and tells us why she prefers the slower one. This story helps you practice comparing transportation in simple Chinese.
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坐火车比坐飞机便宜得多，去飞机场也要花很多 时间 ，所以，小商觉得坐火车比坐飞机好。
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