因时制宜
yīn shí zhì yí
to suit what one does to the time or season
Character by character
因yīn
according to
according to
时shí
time
time
制zhì
devise
devise
宜yí
suitable
suitable
Example
天气越来越热，学校因时制宜，把下午上课的时间推迟了半个小时。
As the weather grew hotter, the school adapted and moved afternoon lessons back half an hour.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
Twin of 因地制宜 (lesson 1-1), which suits measures to the place; the two often come together as 因时因地制宜. Formal: policy documents, health advice, management talk.
Learn this in Lesson 136 · HSK 7–9: 一锅老火汤 (A pot of slow-cooked soup)
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 →