New Members FlashP Posted March 7, 2013 at 05:09 PM New Members Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 at 05:09 PM Hey everyone, So I just want you to be honest and tell me what 時間 means. I have a tattoo for more than a year....and I wanted a tattoo meaning "time"...not like eternity, infinity or stuff like these, but simply "time". To be clear i wanted the word "time" as if it would be used in the sentence "time heals all wounds" or "I need time". So nothing really poetic or romantic. But I don't want it to be funny if u get what I mean. So are those the right characters or not?? Please be honest and tell me in my face if I'm one of those unfortunate/stupid western people getting a funny tattoo... I'd rather be an aware of it!! Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted March 7, 2013 at 10:00 PM Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 at 10:00 PM Your characters are the full form version of 时 shi and 间 jian. Shi means time, as in this time or time of day. Jian means within a definite time. there are other meanings but these are their primary ones, as it were. Together they mean the "concept of time" So not too bad, not funny or rude, so all in all its ok.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lingo-ling Posted March 8, 2013 at 06:32 AM Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 at 06:32 AM 時間 is the common, generic word for "time" in Chinese: 時間不夠: not enough time 我有很多的時間: I have a lot of time 時間簡史: "A Brief History of Time" There are other words like 時光 (我過了一段快樂的時光 - "I had a good time" (Lit: "I passed a stretch of happy time")), as well as the very poetic 光陰 (lit. "light & shadow"), used in expressions like 光陰似箭 "time is like an arrow", equivalent to English "Time flies". And times expressed on a clock use 點 (meaning "point"): 現在幾點? "What time is it now?" (Lit: "Now how-many points?") 三點. "Three o'clock" (Lit. "three points"). But yes, in answer to your question, 時間 does indeed mean "time". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members FlashP Posted March 8, 2013 at 08:29 AM Author New Members Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 at 08:29 AM Thank you very much guys! You were very helpful to clear up my mind..maybe something like 光陰似箭 would have been a bit nicer for a tattoo...but I'm quite happy with mine:) Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
最爱狮子和熊 Posted March 8, 2013 at 09:03 AM Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 at 09:03 AM 时间=time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted March 8, 2013 at 11:08 AM Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 at 11:08 AM Read all the posts, Mr Lion and Bear Lover, not just the first one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted March 8, 2013 at 03:32 PM Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 at 03:32 PM Maybe he just really wanted to put in his 2 cents worth even if it was repetition. He has only posted 7 times,maybe he is trying to get his post number up trying to catch up with your huge post number Probably impossible but hey its only a silly thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest realmayo Posted March 8, 2013 at 03:42 PM Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 at 03:42 PM 可能是时间的问题。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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