时 (shí) is a Chinese character meaning “time”. It is written from 日 (sun; day) and 寸 (cun; inch), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “time”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
日 + 寸
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分 ⿰日寸（与 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：日 4 + 寸 3 = 7）
Memory aid
The sun (日) creeping forward one inch (寸) at a time. Both parts are really in this character: time is the sun measured off, inch by inch.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 时间shí jiāntime; period of time时 = shíHSK 1
- 时代shí dàiera; age; times时 = shí
- 亥时hài shíthe hour of Hai, 9–11 p.m.时 = shí
- 卯时mǎo shíthe hour of Mao, 5–7 a.m.时 = shí
- 及时jí shítimely; in time时 = shí
- 巳时sì shíthe hours from 9 to 11 a.m. (sixth double-hour)时 = shí
- 当时dāng shíat that time; then时 = shíHSK 3
- 戌时xū shíthe double-hour 7–9 p.m. (11th branch hour)时 = shí
- 时尚shí shàngfashion; fashionable时 = shí
- 酉时yǒu shíthe hour of You, 5–7 p.m.时 = shí
- 临时lín shítemporary; at the last moment时 = shí
- 寅时yín shíthe double hour from 3 to 5 a.m.时 = shí
- 届时jiè shíat the appointed time; when the time comes时 = shí
- 按时àn shíon time; on schedule时 = shíHSK 4
- 时候shí houtime; moment; (the time) when时 = shí
- 时刻shí kèmoment; point in time; constantly时 = shí
- 随时suí shíat any time时 = shí
- 顿时dùn shíimmediately; at once时 = shí
Go deeper
All readings
time
time; hour; season; period; when; o'clock
时间；时候；一段时期。也表示钟点。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 时间shí jiāntime; period of time时 = shíHSK 1
- 时代shí dàiera; age; times时 = shí
- 亥时hài shíthe hour of Hai, 9–11 p.m.时 = shí
- 卯时mǎo shíthe hour of Mao, 5–7 a.m.时 = shí
- 及时jí shítimely; in time时 = shí
- 巳时sì shíthe hours from 9 to 11 a.m. (sixth double-hour)时 = shí
- 当时dāng shíat that time; then时 = shíHSK 3
- 戌时xū shíthe double-hour 7–9 p.m. (11th branch hour)时 = shí
- 时尚shí shàngfashion; fashionable时 = shí
- 酉时yǒu shíthe hour of You, 5–7 p.m.时 = shí
- 临时lín shítemporary; at the last moment时 = shí
- 寅时yín shíthe double hour from 3 to 5 a.m.时 = shí
- 届时jiè shíat the appointed time; when the time comes时 = shí
- 按时àn shíon time; on schedule时 = shíHSK 4
- 时候shí houtime; moment; (the time) when时 = shí
- 时刻shí kèmoment; point in time; constantly时 = shí
- 随时suí shíat any time时 = shí
- 顿时dùn shíimmediately; at once时 = shí
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 时 mean?
时 (shí) means time; hour; season; period; when; o'clock.
How do you pronounce 时?
It is pronounced shí.
What parts is 时 made of?
日 (sun; day) and 寸 (cun; inch), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分 ⿰日寸（与 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：日 4 + 寸 3 = 7）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 时 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 时?
日. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 时?
Common ones are 时间 and 时代. The reading of 时 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.