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Level

[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

Similar to

- [Expressing "when" with "de shihou"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22when%22_with_%22de_shihou%22) (A2)

Used for

[Expressing time and date](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_time_and_date), [Referring to simultaneous events](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Referring_to_simultaneous_events)

Keywords

[时](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%97%B6), [时候](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%97%B6%E5%80%99), [的时候](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%9A%84%E6%97%B6%E5%80%99)

Translations

[when](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/When), [while](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/While)

[![Chinese-grammar-wiki-shi3.jpg](Expressing%20%22when%22%20with%20%22shi%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wiki-shi3.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki-shi3.jpg"){width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-shi3.jpg)

By now you should now [how to express "when" using "的时候" (de shíhou)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22When%22_with_%22de_shihou%22). But there's also a slightly shorter, more formal way to do it: simply use 时 (shí) all by itself. (No 的!)

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink")

Structure ---------------------------------------------------------

Verb-Obj. + 时，Subj. ⋯⋯

As time words can appear [before or after the subject](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Time_words_and_word_order), you can also place the *Verb-Obj. + 时* after the subject. There are two great examples of this pattern in the poem below: 你一会儿看我一会儿看云你看我时很远你看云时很近 Examples -------------------------------------------------------

- 考试 *时* 不要说话。Kǎoshì *shí* bùyào shuōhuà.Don't talk when you take a test. - 我面试 *时* 经常会问这个问题。Wǒ miànshì *shí* jīngcháng huì wèn zhège wèntí.I often ask this question in a job interview. - 会议结束 *时* 老板才来。Huìyì jiéshù *shí* lǎobǎn cái lái.The boss didn't show up until the meeting was over. - 我生气 *时* 不想说话。Wǒ shēngqì *shí* bù xiǎng shuōhuà.I don't want to talk when I'm angry. - 他们大学毕业 *时* 就分手了。Tāmen dàxué bìyè *shí* jiù fēnshǒu le.They broke up when they graduated from college. - 飞机起飞 *时* ，他关了手机和电脑。Fēijī qǐfēi *shí*, tā guān le shǒujī hé diànnǎo.When the plane took off, he turned off his cell phone and computer. - 他太太提出离婚 *时* ，他很惊讶。Tā tàitai tíchū líhūn *shí*, tā hěn jīngyà.He was very surprised when his wife asked for a divorce. - 他去世 *时* ，他的孩子都不在身边。Tā qùshì *shí*, tā de háizi dōu bù zài shēnbiān.His children weren't with him when he passed away. - 我们公司成立 *时* 只有三个人。Wǒmen gōngsī chénglì *shí* zhǐyǒu sān gè rén.There were only three people when this company was founded. - 跟别人说话 *时* 不要玩手机。Gēn biérén shuōhuà *shí* bùyào wán shǒujī.Don't play with your cell phone when you talk with other people.

See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Before a specific time](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Before_a_specific_time) - [In the future in general](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/In_the_future_in_general) - [Comparing "yihou" and "de shihou"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22yihou%22_and_%22de_shihou%22) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar) (pp. 24-5) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ykU1OD) - [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)) (pp. 293-4) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2femBuy) \

[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)

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