shí时sometimeshǎo好goodshí时sometimeshuài坏bad
Sometimes good, sometimes bad; fluctuating.
Literal meaning
sometimes (时) — good (好) — sometimes (时) — bad (坏)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase to describe an inconsistent state.
Examples
Tā他de的jiàn健kāng康zhuàng状kuàng况shí时hǎo好shí时huài坏。
His health condition is sometimes good, sometimes bad.
Zuì最jìn近gǔ股shì市shí时hǎo好shí时huài坏，hěn很nán难yù预cè测。
The stock market has been fluctuating recently, making it hard to predict.
Usage & nuances
Describes a situation that is inconsistent or unstable.
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