shí jiān
time
现在几点？
xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
What time is it now?
我几点起床？
wǒ jǐ diǎn qǐchuáng?
What time do I get up?
我几点睡觉？
wǒ jǐ diǎn shuìjiào?
What time do I go to bed?
辰光 (chén guāng)
time
光阴 (guāng yīn)
time
年华 (nián huá)
time
空间 (kōng jiān)
space
永恒 (yǒng héng)
eternity
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The Chinese word 时间 (shíjiān) for "time" is a compound of two characters: 时 (shí), meaning "time, season, hour", and 间 (jiān), meaning "interval, space, period". The character 时 is derived from the oracle bone script, which depicts a sun rising over the horizon, representing the beginning of a new day. The character 间 is derived from the oracle bone script, which depicts a person standing between two objects, representing the space between them. Together, the two characters 时间 form a compound that means "the interval between two events" or "the duration of an event".
