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长时间
cháng shí jiān
long period of time
他长时间没有回复我的消息。
He didn't reply to my message for a long time.
neutral
A duration that is extended or prolonged.
长时间暴露在阳光下会损害皮肤。
Prolonged exposure to sunlight can damage the skin.
经过长时间的讨论，他们终于达成了协议。
After a long period of discussion, they finally reached an agreement.
Often used to emphasize the duration of an action or state.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage with Verbs
长时间 typically precedes verbs to indicate the duration of an action. For example, '长时间工作' (work for long hours) or '长时间思考' (think for a long time). It does not follow verbs directly.
Gold Rule
Position in Sentences
长时间 usually appears before the verb it modifies. It is rarely placed at the end of a sentence unless emphasizing the duration itself.
Word Origin
The term combines '长' (cháng, meaning 'long' or 'extended') and '时间' (shí jiān, meaning 'time'). '长' derives from Old Chinese *tjaŋ, related to duration, while '时间' combines '时' (time) and '间' (interval). The phrase emerged in classical Chinese and remains in use in modern Mandarin.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to describe extended durations. Often appears in formal contexts (e.g., scientific reports, news articles) but is also used in everyday speech.
Word Breakdown
长
long (in duration)
root时间
time
root汉英词典