Em wikipedia :
- User Time vs System Time
The term 'user CPU time' can be a bit misleading at first. To be clear, the total CPU time is the combination of the amount of time the CPU(s) spent performing some action for a program and the amount of time the CPU(s) spent performing system calls for the kernel on the program's behalf. When a program loops through an array, it is accumulating user CPU time. Conversely, when a program executes a system call such as exec or fork, it is accumulating system CPU time.
- Real Time vs CPU Time
The term "real time" in this context refers to elapsed "wall clock" time, like using a stop watch. The total CPU time (user time + sys time) may be more or less than that value. Because a program may spend some time waiting and not executing at all (whether in user mode or system mode) the real time may be greater than the total CPU time. Because a program may fork children whose CPU times (both user and sys) are added to the values reported by the time command, the total CPU time may be greater than the real time.