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In our everyday life, it is very important to know how to tell the time. But do you know how to tell the time in Chinese?
In a previous lesson, we have already learned numbers in Chinese. Today, we only need to learn a few new words and then we can fully express the time in Chinese.
Knowing numbers up to 59 will help with hours and minutes. We will distinguish a clock time from a duration, then practise asking and answering time questions.
Time Vocabulary in Chinese – Seconds
First, let’s have a look at the dial and how to say seconds, minutes and hours in Chinese.
|
Chinese Characters |
Chinese Pinyin |
English meaning |
Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
|
秒 |
miǎo |
second(s) |
60秒 （60 seconds） |
As simple as that, in Chinese, there is only one word to indicate “seconds”, that is “秒（miǎo）
For example, if you need to express seconds in Chinese, just like English, you only need to add “秒” after the number .
Number + 秒
Time Vocabulary – Minute
|
Chinese Characters |
Chinese Pinyin |
English meaning |
Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
|
分钟 |
fēn zhōng |
minute(s) |
6分钟 6 minutes |
|
分 |
fēn |
minute(s) |
3点06分(3：06) |
Both “分钟” and “分” in the table above can represent minutes, and “分” is short for “分钟”. But in most cases, we generally use “分钟” to describe how long something takes, and use “分” to describe the specific clock time. Same as seconds, just add “分” or “ 分钟” after the number.
Number + 分（分钟）
|
Chinese Characters |
Chinese Pinyin |
English Meaning |
Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
|
小时 |
xiǎoshí |
hour(s) |
1小时10分钟 (an hour and 10 minutes) |
|
钟头 |
zhōng tóu |
hour(s) |
1个钟头10分钟 (an hour and 10 minutes) |
|
点 |
diǎn |
o’clock |
1点10分 (1:10) |
小时 (xiǎoshí) and 钟头 (zhōngtóu) describe a duration; 点 (diǎn) tells the hour on a clock. Say 一个小时 or 一小时 for one hour, and 一个钟头 for one hour in colloquial speech. Formal schedules may use 时 for the clock hour, but 点 is the usual conversational choice.
Clock time: number + 点. Duration: number + (个) 小时, or number + 个钟头. Compare 三点 (three o’clock) with 三个小时 (three hours).
In combination, we often use “number点 + number 分” to tell the clock time. And the word “分” sometimes could be omitted, just use “number 点+ number”
For example, “4点20分” is equivalent to “4点20”,means 4 o’clock and 20 minutes.
Time Vocabulary – Quarter
|
Chinese Characters |
Chinese Pinyin |
English Meaning |
Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
|
（一）刻 |
(yí ) kè |
15 minutes or a quarter |
两点一刻 （2：15） |
When talking about clock time, “刻” means a quarter of an hour. （Besides a quarter, as you study further, you will learn other meanings of the word “刻”.） And normally, “one quarter” is the most common one to see.
In 一刻, the underlying first tone of 一 normally changes to a second tone before the fourth-tone kè: yí kè.
Time Vocabulary – Half past
|
Chinese Characters |
Chinese Pinyin |
English Meaning |
Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
|
半 |
bàn |
half |
12点半 （12:30） |
This one is very simple, its meaning just as same as “half past” in English. And you should put it right after “点”. You can memorize “点半” together for easy recall.
Time Vocabulary – Differ
|
Chinese Characters |
Chinese Pinyin |
English Meaning |
Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
|
差 |
chà |
to be short of; to lack |
差3分（钟）6点 （5：57）; 差一刻3点 （2：45） |
差 (chà) means “short of” here. You can state how many minutes remain before the next hour: 差三分六点 means three minutes to six (5:57), and 差一刻三点 means a quarter to three (2:45). Reading the hour and minutes directly is also always useful.
How to Ask Time in Chinese
After learning words above, you may have a question in mind, how do you ask others about time in Chinese?
Well, you need to learn another word ,“几 (jǐ) ”. It’s a pronoun used to ask quantity and time. “几点(jǐ diǎn)” is the simplest way to ask time; you can add “现在(xiàn zài)” and some modal particle like “了” at the end of the sentence.
现在 几点 了？Now what time (modal particle)?
A Few Extras
Do you still remember in the Chinese number lesson we have mentioned that there are two ways to say “two” in Chinese，二 （èr）and 两( liǎng) , and different “two” need to be used when meeting with different time units?
For two o’clock, use 两点 (liǎng diǎn). For a duration of two minutes, 两分钟 is the common choice. Within a clock time or a compound number, 二 is also used: 三点零二分 (3:02), 二十二分 (22 minutes).
Mini – test
Try reading the following clock times, then reveal a suggested answer. More than one wording can be correct.
11:00
Reveal the answer
Answer: 11点（shí yī diǎn）
1:05
Reveal the answer
Answer: 1点05（分）（yī diǎn líng wǔ （fēn））
3:30
Reveal the answer
Answer: 3点半（sān diǎn bàn）;or 3点30分（sān diǎn sān shí （fēn））
6:45
Reveal the answer
Answer: 6点45（分）（liù diǎn sì shí wǔ （fēn））; 六点三刻 (liù diǎn sān kè);or 差一刻七点 (chà yí kè qī diǎn)
9:50
Reveal the answer
Answer: 9点50（分）（jiǔ diǎn wǔ shí fēn）or 差10分（钟）10点（chà shí fēn zhōng shí diǎn）
Keep Practicing…
Well, since the clock never stops, that gives you countless chances to practice telling time in Chinese. The more you speak, the more opportunity you’ll get to practice them and the more perfect your Chinese will be! If you know any native Chinese-speakers, try and practice what you’ve learned with them.Good luck and have fun!
