adverb / adjective HSK 4
Traditional 暫時
zàn shí
temporarily · for the time being · for now · provisional

Meaning

暂时 means 'temporarily' or 'for the time being,' indicating that something is not permanent and will likely change in the future. It emphasizes the short-term or transitional nature of a situation, state, or action.

Usage

Commonly used to soften statements or indicate that current circumstances may change. Often appears at the beginning of a sentence or before a verb. Native speakers use it frequently in both spoken and written Chinese to express temporary arrangements, plans, or conditions.

Examples

  1. 01
    暂时住在朋友家。
    zàn shí zhù zài péng yǒu jiā.
    I'm temporarily staying at my friend's place.
  2. 02
    这个问题暂时无法解决。
    Zhè ge wèn zàn shí jiě jué.
    This problem cannot be solved for the time being.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 暂时没有
    zàn shí méi yǒu
    don't have for now
  • 暂时
    zàn shí
    temporarily not
  • 暂时
    zàn shí xìng
    temporary nature

Antonyms

Origin

The word combines 暂 (temporary) and 时 (time) to literally mean 'temporary time,' directly expressing the concept of a limited duration.

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