<p>An example of 按时's usage will be like:<br>
按时服药 - take medicine on time</p>

<p>Where 按时 refers to being on time periodically.  In your case, the podcast might be on-air every night at certain time, thus using 按时.  However a better translation for will be:<br>
"谢谢大家准时收听我们的节目"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-01T20:19:22.830Z
+1 for being broadly correct, but `按时` just means "on time" - there's no "periodically" component in there. It is perfectly okay to use it for one time events, e.g. `按时还车` - "return the car on time."
Semaphore
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-01T20:23:04.603Z
@Semaphore thanks, I was trying to differentiate between 按时 & 准时, i.e. we will never say arrive on time as 按时到达
Alex
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-01T20:27:21.097Z
Umm, lots of people say [`按时到达`...](https://www.google.com/?#q=+%E6%8C%89%E6%97%B6%E5%88%B0%E8%BE%BE)
Semaphore
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-01T20:28:31.543Z
@Semaphore Oh hm...maybe i know why now, Cantonese / Mandarian
Alex
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-01T15:10:07.777Z
2014-08-01T15:10:07.777Z
Alex
<p>按时收听 literally means to listen on time.</p>

<p>Basically as @Alex mentioned 按时+Verb/Verb phrase means do something on time and often used imperatively.</p>

<p>Since phrases like 按时收听、按时收看 are widely used in broadcasting, Their equivalents would be "stay tuned".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-02T00:44:06.390Z
2014-08-02T03:11:55.450Z
2014-08-02T03:11:55.450Z
user1228520
<p>"按時" has (at least) two components:</p>

<ol>
<li>Explicit - according to timetable</li>
<li>Implicit - should be done accordingly for one's own sake</li>
</ol>

<p>That's why we say "按時服藥" (for medicine), "按時進餐" (for meal), etc.  Radio programmes are unlikely to fulfill Point 2.  Hence, as Alex said, we will simply say "準時", or better, "天天準時" if it is a daily programme.</p>

<p>BTW, "天天" emphasizes on repetition whilst "每天" emphasizes on "no skipping".  e.g. "天天服藥" and "每天服藥" have slightly different meanings.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-03T22:28:25.517Z
Henry  if a group of people got together every week to play frisbee at the same time 
would you say they "按时玩飞盘？“
Stephen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-04T02:05:48.523Z
Yes, only if their *career* is professional frisbee player and they need to practise it strictly according to timetable.  For other cases, I will say "準時".
Henry HO
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-04T11:17:28.883Z
But does 准时  imply on time? or does it imply that it is regular. 
What if all of these frisbee players come each week but   a lot of them happen to be late?
Stephen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-04T13:28:52.447Z
"準時" is on time.  "天天準時" is "daily"+"on time".  If most of them are not punctual, we can say "...逄星期Ｘ都在Ｘ時左右一起玩飛碟".
Henry HO
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-02T03:17:40.283Z
2014-08-02T03:17:40.283Z
Henry HO
<p>I've been listening to a great mandarin podcast recently called "imandarinpod". At the beginning of every podcast the host says something like this
"谢谢大家按时收听我们的节目“。 I've looked up the translation of 按时 （an4shi2） and it comes out to be something like "On Time". However, I'm not entirely sure if that makes sense in this context (especially since it is a podcast). </p>

<p>Can anyone give me an idea of what 按时收听 really means? </p>

<vocabulary>
What does it mean to 按时收听?
# What does it mean to 按时收听?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-08-01)

I've been listening to a great mandarin podcast recently called "imandarinpod". At the beginning of every podcast the host says something like this
"谢谢大家按时收听我们的节目“。 I've looked up the translation of 按时 （an4shi2） and it comes out to be something like "On Time". However, I'm not entirely sure if that makes sense in this context (especially since it is a podcast).

Can anyone give me an idea of what 按时收听 really means?

**Tags:** vocabulary


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-08-01. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

An example of 按时's usage will be like:  
按时服药 - take medicine on time

Where 按时 refers to being on time periodically. In your case, the podcast might be on-air every night at certain time, thus using 按时. However a better translation for will be:  
"谢谢大家准时收听我们的节目"

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: +1 for being broadly correct, but `按时` just means "on time" - there's no "periodically" component in there. It is perfectly okay to use it for one time events, e.g. `按时还车` - "return the car on time."  
> **username_1**: @username_2 thanks, I was trying to differentiate between 按时 & 准时, i.e. we will never say arrive on time as 按时到达  
> **username_2**: Umm, lots of people say [`按时到达`...](https://www.google.com/?#q=+%E6%8C%89%E6%97%B6%E5%88%B0%E8%BE%BE)  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Oh hm...maybe i know why now, Cantonese / Mandarian  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-08-02. Score: 2

按时收听 literally means to listen on time.

Basically as @username_1 mentioned 按时+Verb/Verb phrase means do something on time and often used imperatively.

Since phrases like 按时收听、按时收看 are widely used in broadcasting, Their equivalents would be "stay tuned".


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### Answer by username_4 on 2014-08-02. Score: 1

"按時" has (at least) two components:

1. Explicit - according to timetable
2. Implicit - should be done accordingly for one's own sake

That's why we say "按時服藥" (for medicine), "按時進餐" (for meal), etc. Radio programmes are unlikely to fulfill Point 2. Hence, as username_1 said, we will simply say "準時", or better, "天天準時" if it is a daily programme.

BTW, "天天" emphasizes on repetition whilst "每天" emphasizes on "no skipping". e.g. "天天服藥" and "每天服藥" have slightly different meanings.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Henry  if a group of people got together every week to play frisbee at the same time  would you say they "按时玩飞盘？“  
> **username_4**: Yes, only if their *career* is professional frisbee player and they need to practise it strictly according to timetable.  For other cases, I will say "準時".  
> **username_0**: But does 准时  imply on time? or does it imply that it is regular.  What if all of these frisbee players come each week but   a lot of them happen to be late?  
> **username_4**: "準時" is on time.  "天天準時" is "daily"+"on time".  If most of them are not punctual, we can say "...逄星期Ｘ都在Ｘ時左右一起玩飛碟".  

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