…的時候 /…的时候
…de shíhou
In Chinese, the English phrase 'while' can be expressed using …的時候 /…的时候 (…de shíhou). Wiktionary also lists 當 / 当 (dāng).
Meaning: during the same time that (conj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| …的時候 /…的时候 | …de shíhou |
| 當 / 当 | dāng |
The phrase is used as a conjunction to indicate that something is happening during the same time as another action.
Which one should you use?
The form …的時候 /…的时候 is used to mean 'at the time of', whereas 當 / 当 is a more formal way to express 'when' or 'while' in written or literary contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike the English 'while' which precedes the clause, …的時候 /…的时候 is placed after the verb or clause it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
…de shíhou
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly place …的時候 at the beginning of a sentence. However, in Chinese, it must follow the action or time period it refers to.
Did you know?
- The word 黨, which means 'party' as in a political group, is actually a linguistic relative of the word for 'while' because it refers to people of equal rank.
- The character 當 can also carry the meaning of 'ought to' or 'should', showing how 'when' and 'duty' can overlap in certain contexts.
- Because …的時候 is placed at the end of the clause, a listener in a Chinese conversation must hear the entire action before they realize the speaker is describing a specific window of time.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “while” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 當, CC BY-SA 4.0.
