曾几何时
céng jǐ hé shí
not so long ago (and yet how things have changed)
Character by character
曾céng
once
once
几jǐ
how
how
何hé
much
much
时shí
time
time
Example
曾几何时，腰上别个BP机还很时髦，如今年轻人连见都没见过。
Not so long ago a pager on your belt was cool; young people today have never even seen one.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
曾 is céng and 几 is jǐ here. It opens a sentence that contrasts then with now, and sounds written and a little wistful.
Learn this in Lesson 84 · HSK 6–7: 九十年代 (The 1990s)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →