suìpiàn shíjiān

Meaning:

Translated as “fragmented time,” this term refers to the short periods during the day when there’s free time to spare — for example, when you’re waiting for someone at lunch, while on the metro during your morning commute, or at night before sleep. Typically, Chinese people would spend their fragmented time on their smartphones, checking for information, listening to the music, shopping online and seeking entertainment. The universalism of mobile Internet brings huge convenience and an atmosphere of constant learning to maximize time and output.

Example:

A: 我每天上下班花两个小时通勤，觉得自己在浪费

生命。

Wǒ měitiān shàngxiàbān huā liǎngge xiǎoshí tōngqín，juédé zìjǐ zài làngfèi shēngmìng。

Each day I spend two hours commuting to and from work. I feel like wasting my life away.

B: 你可以尝试把这些碎片时间利用起来，比如在地铁上听播客增长见识。

Nǐ kěyǐ chángshì bǎ zhèxiē suìpiàn shíjiān lìyòng qǐlái，bǐrú zài dìtiě shàng tīng bōkè zēngzhǎng jiànshí。

You can try and use these fragmented time, like listening to podcasts while riding on the metro to learn about new stuff.