<p>The '日' radical of '時' indicates it is related to 'sun; day'</p>
<p>The '寺' /si4/ part in '時'/shi2/ is the phonics component</p>
<p>(<em>寺 means 'temple'.  As the phonics component of 時, the 'temple' meaning is irrelevant</em>)</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.shuowen.org/view/4172" rel="nofollow noreferrer">時</a> means 'time; hour'</p>
<p><em>四時也; 本春秋冬夏之稱。引伸之爲凡嵗月日刻之用</em></p>
<p>Originally meant four <strong>seasons</strong> (四<strong>時</strong>), extended to mean 'years, months, days and hours' (<strong>time</strong>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>間 means 'space between; interval'</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>時間</strong> means '<strong>time</strong>' (<strong>intervals of days, hours</strong>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There are other time related words in Chinese:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>光= light; 陰= shade</p>
<p><strong>光陰</strong>= light and shade= day and night= <strong>time</strong> (cycle of days and nights)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>寒= cold; 暑= hot</p>
<p><strong>寒暑</strong>= cold and hot= winter and summer= <strong>time</strong> (cycle of seasons)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>歲= year; 月= month</p>
<p><strong>歲月</strong>= year and month= <strong>time</strong> (passing of years and months)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jeremy wrote:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>if there is a place where it is possible to know the origin of Chinese characters please share</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can find the origins of many Chinese characters in <a href="http://www.shuowen.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">說文解字</a> or just wiki it</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-12T23:43:55.947Z
2017-08-12T23:55:02.437Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>时: season
间: period</p>

<p>Period of season is time.</p>

<p>Helpful link for character details: <a href="http://www.zdic.net/z/1b/xs/65F6.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.zdic.net/z/1b/xs/65F6.htm</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-13T02:48:05.467Z
2017-08-13T02:48:05.467Z
sfy
<p>I believe the Chinese word for time is 时间.</p>
<p>Does anybody know how to find out its origin? If there is a place where it is possible to know the origin of Chinese characters please share. Thank you</p>

<etymology>
What's origin of the Chinese word for "time" (时间)?
# What's origin of the Chinese word for "time" (时间)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-12)

I believe the Chinese word for time is 时间.

Does anybody know how to find out its origin? If there is a place where it is possible to know the origin of Chinese characters please share. Thank you

**Tags:** etymology


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-08-12. Score: 4

The '日' radical of '時' indicates it is related to 'sun; day'

The '寺' /si4/ part in '時'/shi2/ is the phonics component

(*寺 means 'temple'. As the phonics component of 時, the 'temple' meaning is irrelevant*)

> [時](http://www.shuowen.org/view/4172) means 'time; hour'
>
> *四時也; 本春秋冬夏之稱。引伸之爲凡嵗月日刻之用*
>
> Originally meant four **seasons** (四**時**), extended to mean 'years, months, days and hours' (**time**)

~

> 間 means 'space between; interval'

~

> **時間** means '**time**' (**intervals of days, hours**)

There are other time related words in Chinese:

> 光= light; 陰= shade
>
> **光陰**= light and shade= day and night= **time** (cycle of days and nights)

~

> 寒= cold; 暑= hot
>
> **寒暑**= cold and hot= winter and summer= **time** (cycle of seasons)

~

> 歲= year; 月= month
>
> **歲月**= year and month= **time** (passing of years and months)

username_0wrote:

> *if there is a place where it is possible to know the origin of Chinese characters please share*

You can find the origins of many Chinese characters in [說文解字](http://www.shuowen.org/) or just wiki it


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### Answer by username_2 on 2017-08-13. Score: 0

时: season
间: period

Period of season is time.

Helpful link for character details: <http://www.zdic.net/z/1b/xs/65F6.htm>


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