一时 (yì shí) — how to say "for a while" in Chinese

一时

For a while

noun · time adverb

How to use it

Goes after the subject, before the verb.

我一时忘了。

wǒ yì shí wàng le

I forgot for a moment.

Rule: Comparing "一时 (yìshí)" and "一度 (yídù)" →

Character composition

一

one

时

time

Radicals / Keys

日

Sun

#72 · rì · 4 strokes

一

One

#1 · yī · 1 stroke

Collocations

一时想不起来

yì shí xiǎng bu qǐ lái

be unable to recall something for the moment

一时找不到

yì shí zhǎo bu dào

be unable to find something for the moment

Examples

他一时不知道怎么办。

He didn't know what to do for a while.

一时高兴。

Happy for a while.

Writing

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say "for a while" in Chinese?

"for a while" in Chinese is 一时 (yì shí).

一时 meaning in English

一时 (yì shí) means "For a while".

How is 一时 pronounced?

It is pronounced yì shí (written as yi shi, yishi). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.

How do you write "for a while" in Chinese characters?

It is written 一时: 一 has 1 stroke, 时 has 7 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.

What HSK 3.0 level is 一时?

一时 is on the HSK 3.0 level 6 word list. It is not part of the six-level HSK 2.0 lists.

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Grammar with 一时

More HSK 3.0 level 6 words