时间 (shí jiān) — time in Mandarin
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#119 most common word · HSK 2 · CEFR A2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
时间 is pronounced shí jiān. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Wǒ méi yǒu shí jiān.
I don't have time.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 时间 mean?+
时间 (shí jiān) means "time" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 时间?+
时间 is pronounced shí jiān. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 时间 in Mandarin?+
时间 is the #119 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 时间 fits
Every HSK 2 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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