time; moment (archaic); very (modern)
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
time; hour; moment (archaic)
archaicUsed in classical/literary Chinese to indicate a specific time or hour, often in set phrases like 三更十分 (around midnight) or 掌灯十分 (dusk). Historically read as shífèn, but now usually pronounced shífēn to match the modern adverbial usage.
Sān三
gēng更
shí十
fēn分
，
tā他
qiāo悄
qiāo悄
de地
lí离
kāi开
le了
jiā家
。
At the hour of the third watch (around midnight), he quietly left home.
Zhǎng掌
dēng灯
shí十
fēn分
，
cūn村
zi子
lǐ里
jiàn渐
jiàn渐
ān安
jìng静
le了
xià下
lái来
。
At lighting-up time, the village gradually grew quiet.
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Dài待
dào到
shí十
fēn分
chūn春
sì似
jǐn锦
，
chū出
mén门
jù俱
shì是
kàn看
huā花
rén人
。
When the hour [season] is at its peak and spring is like brocade, all who go out are flower-watchers.