時ときあたかも

Meanings

at precisely that time; just then; right at that moment

A somewhat literary or formal expression used to emphasize that something happened exactly at a particular moment, often in narrative or descriptive contexts.

時ときあたかも春はるの盛さかり、桜さくらが満まん開かいだった。
It was just then, at the height of spring, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.
時ときあたかも戦せん乱らんの世よにあって、人ひと々びとは苦く難なんに耐たえていた。
At precisely that time, in an age of war, the people endured great hardship.

Kanji

時time, hour
恰just as, as though, fortunately

Related words

あたかも
あたかも alone means 'as if' or 'just like', and can also mean 'exactly (at that time)' when combined with 時. 時あたかも is a fixed expression emphasizing the timing.
ちょうどその時とき
ちょうどその時 is a more common, everyday way to say 'just at that time', while 時あたかも is more literary and emphatic.

Written forms

時ときあたかも
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling; the most common written form.
時とき恰あたかも
Rare spelling using the ateji 恰 for あたか; mostly found in older or literary texts.

Etymology

A compound of 時 (time) and あたかも (just then/exactly). The reading あたかも is of uncertain origin, possibly from a mimetic or emphatic root. The kanji 恰 is an ateji.