bù shí
frequently; from time to time; now and then
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他不时地看看手表。
Tā bùshí de kànkan shǒubiǎo.
He looked at his watch from time to time.
她不时地叹口气。
Tā bùshí de tànkǒu qì.
She sighed from time to time.
他们不时地交谈几句。
Tāmen bùshí de jiāotán jǐ jù.
They talked for a few minutes from time to time.
经常 (jīngcháng)
often
总是 (zǒngshì)
always
The Chinese word 不时 (bù shí) is composed of two characters: 不 (bù) and 时 (shí). 不 is a negative particle that means "not" or "no". 时 can mean "time", "occasion", or "season". Together, 不时 means "not often" or "occasionally".The earliest known use of 不时 is in the Book of Songs, a collection of poems from the 11th to 7th centuries BC. In the poem "Guan Ju", the phrase 不时兮 refers to the irregular appearance of a beautiful woman.不时 is also used in the Analects of Confucius, a collection of sayings attributed to the philosopher Confucius. In the Analects, 不时 is used to describe the behavior of a gentleman who is not always serious but knows when to be serious.In modern Chinese, 不时 is used in a variety of contexts. It can be used to describe something that happens occasionally, something that is not always the case, or something that is not timely. For example, 不时下雨 means "it rains occasionally", 不时有人来 means "people come from time to time", and 不时之需 means "an unexpected need".不时 is a common word in Chinese and is used by people of all ages and backgrounds. It is a versatile word that can be used in a variety of contexts.
