小时候 (xiǎoshíhou) · in one's childhood
小时候 (xiǎoshíhou) means “in one's childhood; when one was little”. It is written with 3 characters: 小 (small) + 时 (time) + 候 (time). It is an HSK 2 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 小时候 is built
The characters
小 xiǎo · small
What 小 is made of
- 亅 — hook
- 八bā — eight
Origin hint: Dividing 八 by a line 亅 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
时 shí · time
What 时 is made of
- 日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 寸cùn — inch
Origin hint: day (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
候 hòu · time
What 候 is made of
- 亻rén — person
- 矦hóu — target in archery
Origin hint: 亻 gives the meaning, 矦 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
Questions about 小时候
What does 小时候 mean?
小时候 (xiǎoshíhou) means “in one's childhood; when one was little”.
How do you pronounce 小时候?
小时候 is pronounced xiǎoshíhou.
Which HSK level is 小时候?
小时候 is in HSK 2 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021).
Related words
- 小孩儿xiǎoháirchild
- 小姐xiǎojieMiss
- 小朋友xiǎopéngyǒuchild
- 小时xiǎoshíhour
- 小学xiǎoxuéprimary school
- 小学生xiǎoxuéshēngprimary school student
- 从小cóngxiǎofrom childhood
- 大小dàxiǎosize
- 小声xiǎoshēngin a low voice
- 小说xiǎoshuōnovel
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 58: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.