How to Say ‘When’ in Simplified Chinese
什么时候
shén me shí hòu
[shuhn-muh shir-hoh]
💬 Usage Tip: [什么时候] is the general way to ask "when," and it works for past, present, or future from context. For a specific clock time, Chinese often asks [几点] instead.
Phrase Breakdown
什么
shén me
[shuhn-muh]
what
A question word used to ask about things, details, or specific information.
你想知道什么时候可以取消，就先问“什么”规则。
If you want to know when you can cancel, first ask what the rules are.
时候
shí hòu
[shir-hoh]
time; moment
Refers to a point or period of time; often combines with question words like 什么 to ask when.
餐厅会告诉你取消的时候要注意截止时间。
The restaurant will tell you to pay attention to the deadline when canceling.
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