Any change of geographical phenomena must unfold along the timeline, and the description of all dynamic processes cannot be separated from the measurement of time. Temporal cognition constitutes a core mode of thinking in geography. This article fi rst interprets the forms of time expression such as time units, time resolution, time intervals, time scales, and time series. Second, it describes the temporal change characteristics of geographical features in diff erent tenses, such as the nature of change, change patterns, magnitude of change, and rate of change. Finally, three temporal thinking processes in geography were expounded, including defining time intervals, grasping temporal scales, and constructing dynamic cognitive processes; analyzing temporal characteristics, determining time period divisions, and deconstructing the evolutionary stages of systems; connecting time series, identifying temporal laws, and refining the principles of humanenvironment interaction.