时而

時而

shí'ér

adverb HSK 7-9 #20,993

Meanings

At times - used in literary or formal contexts for intermittent actions.

HSK 2

天气时而晴，时而阴。

Tiānqì shí'ér qíng, shí'ér yīn.

The weather is sometimes sunny, sometimes cloudy.

HSK 7-9

她时而微笑，时而叹气。

Tā shí'ér wēixiào, shí'ér tànqì.

She sometimes smiles, sometimes sighs.

HSK 7-9

他的情绪时而高涨，时而低落。

Tā de qíngxù shí'ér gāozhǎng, shí'ér dīluò.

His mood alternates between highs and lows.

usage

时而 is often used in pairs: 时而A，时而B = 'sometimes A, sometimes B.' It's more literary than 有时候.

memory

Think of it as 'time + and' - at this time and at that time, things keep changing.

时 shí

而 ér