noun / time word HSK 4
Traditional 當時
at that time · then · at the moment
Meaning
当时 refers to a specific moment or period in the past that has already been mentioned or is understood from context. It functions as a temporal reference point, allowing speakers to return to and describe what was happening during that particular time.
Usage
Commonly used in narratives and recounting past events to establish or return to a specific time frame. It typically appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause. Native speakers use it to provide temporal context when describing past situations, reactions, or states of being.
Examples
- 01当时我太年轻，不懂这些道理。, .At that time I was too young and didn't understand these principles.
- 02他当时很生气，所以说了那些话。, .He was very angry at the time, so he said those things.
Characters
Common collocations
- 当时的情况the situation at that time
- 就在当时right at that moment
- 当时就right then, immediately
Antonyms
Origin
The compound combines 当 (to match, to be at) with 时 (time) to literally mean 'at [that] time.' This straightforward construction has been used in Classical and Modern Chinese to mark temporal reference points.