当时 dāngshí then
then; at that time; while
How to remember 当时: 当 act as + 时 time = then.
Characters
How it is used
- 'At that time / back then' - refers to a specific past moment already in context - 当时我还小 (dāngshí wǒ hái xiǎo) I was still young at the time.
- Contrast 那时候 (nà shíhou, roughly the same, more spoken) and 现在 (now). 当时 points back to a moment the discourse has already set up.
- Note the reading dāng (level tone) here; 当 also reads dàng in other words.
Example sentences
- 您当时在忙吗？ Nín dāngshí zài máng ma?Were you busy?
- 我当时是学生。 Wǒ dāngshí shì xuéshēng.I was a student at that time.
- 当时我不在公司。 Dāngshí wǒ bú zài gōngsī.I wasn't in the company at that time.