当時
tōji
JA
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