How to say “when” in Chinese with 时 (shí)

Time + (shí)

Expressing "when" with " (shí)"

HSK 3Nouns

Rule structure

(shí) is a formal way to say "when," close in meaning to 的时候 (de shíhou). It creates a time clause and is more common in written or formal Chinese.

Examples

回家时,给我打个电话。

Huí jiā shí, gěi wǒ dǎ gè diànhuà.

Give me a call when you go home.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Expressing "when" with "时 (shí)"” in Chinese?

Use the structure: Time + 时 (shí). For example: 回家时,给我打个电话。 — “Give me a call when you go home.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

回家时,给我打个电话。 — “Give me a call when you go home.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 3.

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