...的時候 marks temporal context: when / while / at the time that.... It anchors another action or state in time.
Temporal anchor - background moment for main clause
Works with events and states - actions, situations, ages, periods
Useful for sequencing and context - narrative and instruction language
See examples below for varied real-world usage.
Keep time relation clear
- Identify whether simultaneous or contextual timing is intended.
Do not confuse with pure duration phrases
- 的時候 frames a time point/window.
Clause completeness helps clarity
- Ensure preceding chunk is interpretable as a time context.
I visited Beijing when I was eighteen.
The road is slippery when it rains.
Please wait a moment when I am not here.
Do not look at your phone during the exam.
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