頃

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 頃 is read as ころ and is a time noun denoting a period or an approximate point in time.
• Basic usage: One’s childhood appears in 子どもの頃, while around six in the evening appears in 夕方六時頃.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Life period and approximate time
  • After a noun it denotes a period; after a clock time it makes the time approximate.
• Difference from 六時
  • 頃 gives an approximation around the stated time rather than an exact point.