About
The character 暇, meaning leisure or free time, is etymologically tied to the concept of temporal absence or interruption. Its traditional form is composed of the sun or day component (日) on the left, combined with the element 叚 on the right, which historically functioned primarily as a phonetic indicator but also carries a sense of borrowed or extended space. This structure suggests an original sense of an interval or gap in the day, a period where one is released from obligatory tasks. Over time, its meaning solidified around the idea of unoccupied time available for discretionary use, and from this core notion, it developed related uses, such as describing a spare moment or, in a more extended sense, functioning as a polite expression for "when you have time". The character maintains a consistent semantic connection to time's availability rather than its passage.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我有很多闲暇时间。
他忙得无暇吃饭。
周末我们享受闲暇时光。
工作之余，我才有暇看书。
她总是抽暇陪伴家人。
在繁忙的生活中，寻找闲暇并不容易。
即使再忙，他也设法偷暇练习钢琴。
现代人常抱怨无暇顾及个人兴趣。