暂时 (zànshí) · for now

暂时 (zànshí) means “for now; temporary; for the time being”. It is written with 2 characters: 暂 (temporary) + 时 (time). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

How 暂时 is built

The characters

暂 zàn · temporary

What 暂 is made of

斩zhǎn — to chop
- 车chē — cart
  - 七qī — seven
  - 十 — ten
- 斤jīn — a catty (about 500 grams)
  - 厂chǎng — cliff
  - 下xià — below
日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
  - 冂 — frame
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke

时 shí · time

What 时 is made of

日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
  - 冂 — frame
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
寸cùn — inch

Origin hint: day (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

我暂时住在朋友家。Wǒ zànshí zhù zài péngyou jiā.I'm staying at a friend's place for now.

这只是暂时的问题。Zhè zhǐshì zànshí de wèntí.This is only a temporary problem.

Questions about 暂时

What does 暂时 mean?

暂时 (zànshí) means “for now; temporary; for the time being”.

How do you pronounce 暂时?

暂时 is pronounced zànshí.

Which HSK level is 暂时?

暂时 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and Old HSK 4.

Related words

Learn 暂时 with its group

It is part of Old HSK 4 · Group 55: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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