当時

tōji

that time, the time (in question), then, back then

当時私は学生でした。

I was a student back then.

Etymology

This word is a compound of the kanji 当 (meaning 'current, corresponding') and 時 (meaning 'time'), formed in Old Japanese to refer to the specific time being discussed.

Memory Aid

Break the word into two parts: 当 = matching/current + 時 = time. Think 'the matching time we are talking about' to remember it means 'that time back then'.

Collocations

当時の当時は当時の状況当時の記憶

Synonyms

その時あの頃当節

Antonyms

現在今日今

Related Words

当日当初時代