这时

这时 (zhè shí) is an adverb meaning 'at this time' or 'now.' It refers to a specific moment in the present, often used to indicate that something is happening or about to happen in the current context.

The character 这 (zhè) means 'this,' and 时 (shí) means 'time' or 'moment.' Together, they literally translate to 'this time,' emphasizing the immediacy of the moment being described.

这时 is commonly used in daily conversations to signal a transition or highlight the current situation. It can be found in both spoken and written Chinese, especially when describing events occurring simultaneously or in sequence. It is often used with other time-related expressions like 然后 (then), 接下来 (next), or 当时 (at that time) to create a timeline of events.