的时候 (deshíhòu) — When in Mandarin
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#1341 most common word
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
的时候 is pronounced deshíhòu. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Xiàyǔ de shíhou wǒ zài jiā.
When it rains, I'm at home.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 的时候 mean?+
的时候 (deshíhòu) means "When" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 的时候?+
的时候 is pronounced deshíhòu. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 的时候 in Mandarin?+
的时候 is the #1341 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
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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