How To Say Anime In Chinese

Telling Fourth dimension in Chinese – The Complete Guide for Beginners

Fourth dimension plays a cardinal role in our everyday life. Whether you lot want to schedule meetings, brand travel plans, see up with your friends, or but want to share your story, knowing how to tell the fourth dimension in Chinese can make a world of difference.

The Chinese time system is easy and straightforward – once you lot accept known your way around numbers, you just need to learn a few more vocabulary words to be able to tell the time in Chinese. But meanwhile, there are some crucial differences between how time is expressed in Chinese and other languages that you need to take annotation of.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll requite you lot a consummate insight into how fourth dimension expressions work in Mandarin Chinese. You lot'll learn how to say the time in both formal and informal styles, how to inquire basic time-related questions, and employ the time to talk near your past, nowadays, and future life similar a true native!

Okay, time to learn the time in Chinese!

How to Tell the Time in Mandarin Chinese – An Overview

Fourth dimension in Chinese is 时间 (shíjiān). Before nosotros become started on learning how to tell the fourth dimension in Mandarin, let's look at a couple of things you need to exist aware of when learning this aspect of the Chinese language.

Chinese Time Vocabulary : The Words You Need to Know

People's republic of china predominantly uses a 12-hour time arrangement. This means words like "morning", "afternoon" or "evening" are frequently used with the time itself in daily fourth dimension expressions. To tell the time in Chinese, you have to not only be able to pronounce the hours and minutes correctly just likewise know the nuts of Chinese time vocabulary.

And so, hither's the list of key Chinese fourth dimension vocabulary words to give you a foundation. They come up along with pronunciations and English translations.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
点	diǎn	o'clock
分	fēn	minute (on the clock)
半	bàn	half
刻	kè	quarter
现在	xiànzài	now
早上	zǎoshang	(early) morn
上午	shàngwǔ	(tardily) morning
中午	zhōngwǔ	midday
下午	xiàwǔ	afternoon
晚上	wǎnshang	evening/night

Some of these words accept other meanings in Chinese (like how 点 diǎn also means "dot" and "to social club"). So, remember these are only their definitions as they relate to time.

Chinese Numbers for Telling the Time

You lot'll besides demand to know the Chinese numbers before trying to tell numerical time.

If you are non familiar with the Chinese number system yet, you might want to bank check out ourfull tutorial on how to read numbers in Chinese beginning to help you lot get started. To put it simply, Chinese numbers are all almost compounding and adding the basic numbers 1 to 10 – from xi to 19, information technology's 10 plus the other numbers (e.thou. 12 is "ten – two"), and from 20 onwards, y'all count the tens first and so practice the adding (e.g. 25 is "ii ten – 5").

Here is a quick reminder of useful numbers to help you to tell the fourth dimension in Chinese.

Number	Character	Pinyin
0	零	líng
i	一	yī
2	二/两	èr/liǎng
three	三	sān
4	四	sì
5	五	wǔ
6	六	liù
7	七	qī
8	八	bā
ix	九	jiǔ
10	十	shí
11	十一	shí yī
12	十二	shí èr

The number "2" has 2 translations in Chinese: 二 (èr) and 两 (liǎng). Basically, yous tin apply them interchangeably when expressing the hours (e.chiliad, two:04), but when it comes to expressing the minutes (east.m, 4:02), only 二 (èr) can be used. You will see many examples of these in the next section, so don't stress if y'all don't get it yet!

Formula for Telling the Time in Chinese

When you say the time in English, you start with "it'due south". For example, "It's ten past nine".

Notwithstanding, when you say the time in Chinese, you'll follow a different formula:

现在是 + time
Xiànzài shì + time
Literally, "Now is … (time)"

When someone asks you the fourth dimension in Chinese, yous ' ll reply with 现在是 (Xiànzài shì) – " At present is " , followed by the time. (And when y'all ask the time in Chinese, instead of request "what time is it", you ask "what fourth dimension is at present" – nosotros'll come back to this subsequently).

The verb "is" – 是 (shì) in 现在是 (Xiànzài shì) is totally optional and often omitted in spoken Chinese. It'due south fine to kickoff with only 现在 (Xiànzài) followed directly past the time (learn more than about topic-comment structure ). In many of our examples, yous'll find 是 (shì) in parentheses.

All right, with that said, you are now officially fix to tell the time in Chinese!

Saying What Time Information technology Is in Chinese

Let's start by breaking down how to tell the numerical fourth dimension on the Chinese clock.

On the Hour

To say a time on the 60 minutes in Chinese (like two o'clock or six o'clock), say the number respective to the hour first, then add the give-and-take 点 (diǎn) – " o ' clock " to it.

Format: number of the hour + 点 (diǎn)

Yous encounter, information technology's exactly the same structure every bit English language, which is actually uncomplicated and piece of cake to recollect.

In most contexts, it is adequate to simply say the time when you are asked "what time is it" in Chinese, simply if y'all want to give a complete answer, y'all can start by saying 现在是 (Xiànzài shì) or 现在 (Xiànzài) before the time. Here'due south how that would await in practise:

现在(是)一点 – It'southward one o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì ) yī diǎn

现在(是)两点 – It'southward ii o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) liǎng diǎn

现在(是)三点 – It's iii o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) sān diǎn

现在(是)四点 – It's iv o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) sì diǎn

现在(是)五点 – It'due south five o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) wǔ diǎn

现在(是)六点 – It's six o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) liù diǎn

现在(是)七点 – It'southward seven o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) qī diǎn

现在(是)八点 – It's eight o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) bā diǎn

现在(是)九点 – It's nine o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) jiǔ diǎn

现在(是)十点 – It'southward ten o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) shí diǎn

现在(是)十一点 – It'southward eleven o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) shí yī diǎn

现在(是)十二点 – It's twelve o'clock.
Xiànzài (shì) shí èr diǎn

Note that unlike in English where we often exit out the word "o'clock" (for instance, nosotros can say "it'south almost five" or "it's half dozen already), in Chinese, the word 点 (diǎn) is always needed afterwards the number of the hour. (Sometimes people use 点钟 diǎnzhōng – the longer form of 点 diǎn – afterwards the number to sound more than coincidental, but yous're fine using just 点 diǎn)

Compare the two expressions below.

十二点(钟)
shí èr diǎn diǎn (zhōng)
twelve o'clock

十二
shí èr
numeral "12" (having nothing to do with fourth dimension)

Also, for saying "two o'clock", although the official grammar dominion is that you're supposed to read the "two" on the 60 minutes as 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr), many Chinese people speak it otherwise (I, for one, say 二点 èr diǎn virtually of the time).

If you don't desire to go this muddled up, stick with the officially favored version – 两点 (liǎng diǎn) – it's slightly more than common in colloquial Chinese. Just know that you volition frequently hear the other version from native speakers, and you lot'll be fine proverb 二点 (èr diǎn) in real life. (For more data on when to utilise 二 èr and 两 liǎng, see our commodity on er vs liang)

Half Hours (Half past…)

Now, the time is not always on the hour. Chinese time allows you to round up to the one-half hour and quarter hour like you're used to in English (when it'south 28 minutes past, you lot can say it'due south half past as you lot normally would). So how do yous say "half by… ", "quarter past…" and "quarter to" in Chinese?

Well, the Chinese versions are actually simpler than English. Let's start with one-half hours.

To say half by the hour in Chinese, utilize the word 半 ( bàn) – meaning " half " – after the time on the hr.

Format: number of the 60 minutes + 点 (diǎn) + 半 (bàn)

For example,

现在(是)三点半 – Information technology'southward half past three.
Xiànzài (shì) sān diǎn bàn

现在(是)六点半 – It's one-half past vi.
Xiànzài (shì) liù diǎn bàn

现在(是)十一点半 – It's half past eleven.
Xiànzài (shì) shí yī diǎn bàn

Y'all run into, instead of "one-half past three", "half past half-dozen", "half past eleven", in Chinese, they are expressed equally "three o'clock one-half", "six o'clock one-half", "eleven o'clock half", respectively. Notation that the word 点 (diǎn) must always be said after the number of the 60 minutes.

You can also express the half hour in "digital format" like you lot would exercise in English, for instance, "eleven-thirty" rather than "half past eleven". You'll learn how to indicate the minutes in Chinese in the next department, don't worry.

Quarter Hours (Quarter by/to…)

Expressing the quarter hours in Chinese is a lot similar expressing the one-half hours – you say the "on the hour" phrase beginning, and so swap out the word "half" with "a quarter" or "three quarters".

Let's take a look.

Quarter past

To say a quarter past the hour in Chinese, employ the phrase 一刻 ( yí kè ) – meaning " a quarter " – after the time on the hour.

Format: number of the hour + 点 (diǎn) + 一刻 (yí kè)

For example,

现在(是)两点一刻 – It's a quarter by two.
Xiànzài (shì) liǎng diǎn yí kè

现在(是)四点一刻 – It'southward a quarter past four.
Xiànzài (shì) sì diǎn yí kè

现在(是)七点一刻 – It's a quarter by vii.
Xiànzài (shì) qī diǎn yí kè

Quarter to

"Quarter to" is expressed slightly differently in Chinese. Although nosotros can add a phrase similar to its English counterpart – 差一刻 (chà yí kè) – meaning "short of a quarter" afterwards the 60 minutes to come to limited "a quarter to that hr", for instance

三点差一刻
sān diǎn chà yí kè
a quarter to iii
Literally, "3 o'clock short of a quarter"

… this is, all the same, not the well-nigh natural way to express "quarter to" in Chinese.

A much more common way of saying a quarter to the hour in Chinese is to say " iii quarters by the 60 minutes " . That is, you lot use the phrase 三刻 ( yí kè ) – " three quarters " – after the time on the hour you lot ' re currently in.

Format: number of the electric current 60 minutes + 点 (diǎn) + 三刻 (sān kè)

Hither are some examples.

现在(是)两点三刻 – It's a quarter to three. (2 o'clock 3 quarters)
Xiànzài (shì) liǎng diǎn sān kè

现在(是)四点三刻 – It'south a quarter to five. (four o'clock three quarters)
Xiànzài (shì) sì diǎn sān kè

现在(是)七点三刻 – It'south a quarter to viii. (seven o'clock three quarters)
Xiànzài (shì) qī diǎn sān kè

Chinese people adopt to say "iii quarters by the current hr" rather than "a quarter to the upcoming hour".

The reason? It sounds more curtailed. (Compare "两点三刻 liǎng diǎn sān kè" and "三点差一刻 sān diǎn chà yí kè") Why would you use more than words to convey the same information when y'all tin can cutting information technology short?

Remember also that quarter hours come after the word 点 (diǎn), but like hours and half hours.

The Exact Time (Hr + Minutes)

Wanna be a piddling more specific? Here's how Chinese time works when y'all demand to tell the precise time, down to the minute.

The structure of hour + minutes in Chinese is quite simple – you say the time on the 60 minutes offset, then say the number respective to the minute.

Format: number of the hour + 点 (diǎn) + number of the minute

As ever, y'all tin can start by saying 现在是 (Xiànzài shì) or 现在 (Xiànzài) before the time. For example, if you want to say that its 5:21, you'll say:

现在(是)五点二十一
Xiànzài (shì) wǔ diǎn èr shí yī
Literally, "Now (is) five o'clock twenty-one"

Thus, the aforementioned as in English, there are two ways that you tin use to indicate half hours and quarter hours in Chinese.

If it's eight:15, you can say

现在(是)八点一刻 – Information technology'southward a quarter past eight. (8 o'clock a quarter)
Xiànzài (shì) bā diǎn yí kè

现在(是)八点十五 – Information technology'southward eight xv. (eight o'clock 15)
Xiànzài (shì) bā diǎn shí wǔ

If it's 8:xxx, you can say

现在(是)八点半 – It's half past viii. (eight o'clock half)
Xiànzài (shì) bā diǎn bàn

现在(是)八点三十 – Information technology's eight thirty. (eight o'clock thirty)
Xiànzài (shì) bā diǎn sān shí

If it's 8:45, you lot can say

现在(是)八点三刻 – Information technology's a quarter to 9. (viii o'clock iii quarters)
Xiànzài (shì) bā diǎn sān kè

现在(是)八点四十五 – Information technology's eight forty-five. (eight o'clock forty-five)
Xiànzài (shì) bā diǎn sì shí wǔ

Pretty easy, isn't it?

There'southward only one thing you demand to notation: the minutes on the clock are expressed slightly differently when they are less than 10.

Let me elaborate.

Minutes Greater Than 10

When the minutes are greater than 10 or precisely 10 on the clock, you just need to read out the number representing the minute like you usually do.For example,

10:fifty
十点五十
shí diǎn wǔ shí

Minutes Less Than 10

When the minutes are under 10 on the clock, you need to read out the " zip " – 零 (líng) before the number corresponding to the minute.

For example, ten:05

You'll read it equally 十点零五 (shí diǎn líng wǔ) – literally "ten o'clock zero v". People will not sympathize y'all if you lot drop the 零 (líng) hither.

The zero in Chinese can be used to link two number units, like to the style nosotros use "and" in English language. For example, instead of saying "1 yr and iii days", Chinese people say 一年零三天 (yì nián líng sān tiān), literally "one year zero three days". (Read more about zero in Chinese ).

You can besides put the word 分 (fēn) – meaning "minute" after any "hour + minutes" structure. This is totally optional and typically used in formal contexts (such equally news reports).

Then, if it's 10:50, y'all tin can either say

现在(是)十点五十 (more common in spoken Chinese)
Xiànzài (shì) shí diǎn wǔ shí

现在(是)十点五十分
Xiànzài (shì) shí diǎn wǔ shí fēn

And if it's x:05, you tin can say

现在(是)十点零五 (more common in spoken Chinese)
Xiànzài (shì) shí diǎn líng wǔ

现在(是)十点零五分
Xiànzài (shì) shí diǎn líng wǔ fēn

Maxim the Time of the Day in Chinese: Morning time, Afternoon, or Evening?

People's republic of china, like the United States, uses the 12-hour clock. So you lot tin can apply 五点 ("five o'clock") to refer to the time of morning and afternoon. To analyze whether it's five in the morning time or five in the afternoon, you'll need to use some extra fourth dimension words.

In Chinese, in that location is no a.m. or p.g. Instead, y'all add either 早上 (zǎoshang) – "early on morning time", 上午 (shàngwǔ) – "belatedly morning", 中午 (zhōngwǔ) – "midday", 下午 (xiàwǔ) – "afternoon", or 晚上 (wǎnshang) – "evening/dark", earlier the time on the 12-hour clock to distinguish the time of the day.

Let'south take a look at what time range each of these words represents and how to combine them with the physical time in Chinese.

早上 ( zǎo sh a ng ): (Early) Morning

早上 (zǎoshang) refers to the sun-rising hours. It's roughly the fourth dimension from dawn to effectually 9:00 a.thou. (There are no exact boundaries betwixt these time concepts)

seven:00 a.m.
早上七点半
zǎoshang qī diǎn bàn
Literally, "(early) morning seven o'clock half"

上午 ( shàng wǔ ): (Late) Morning

上午 (shàngwǔ) literally ways "above noon" (think of the day as a timetable). Information technology tin can be from 9:00 a.yard. to around xi:00 a.g.

10:25 a.m.
上午十点二十五
Shàngwǔ shí diǎn èr shí wǔ
Literally: "(late) morn ten o'clock twenty-five"

中午 ( zhōng wǔ ): Midday

中午 (zhōngwǔ) is translated as midday, merely it'due south pretty much the same thing every bit noon in Chinese, since the noon is in the heart of the twenty-four hours. 中午 (zhōngwǔ) tin be someday between 11:00 a.m and 1:00 p.thousand – once more, roughly.

12:01 p.m.
中午十二点零一
Zhōngwǔ shí èr diǎn líng yī
Literally, "midday twelve o'clock zero one"

下午 ( xiàwǔ): Afternoon

下午 (xiàwǔ) means "under noon" in Chinese. Information technology's typically from i:00 p.m. to around 5:30 to 6:00 p.m when the lord's day starts to become downward.

4:58 p.thou.
下午四点五十八
Xiàwǔ sì diǎn wǔ shí bā
Literally, "afternoon four o'clock fifty-eight"

晚上 ( wǎn sh a ng ): Evening/Dark

The character 晚 (wǎn) is formed by 日 (rì) – "sunday", and 免 (miǎn) – "free of", so 晚上 (wǎnshang) refers to the hours without the sun or sunlight (sunset to dawn).

Speaking by definition, 晚上 (wǎnshang) tin can be evening and nighttime at the same time, though some people would use 晚上 (wǎnshang) to talk about the time between 6ish to around 11:00 p.m., and other words such as 深夜 (shēnyè) – "late night", 半夜 (bànyè) – "midnight" and 凌晨 (língchén) – "before dawn" for other fourth dimension of the night to exist more precise.

8:45 p.thousand.
晚上八点三刻
Wǎnshang bā diǎn sān kè
Literally, "evening eight o'clock 3 quarters"

Have note that different English where y'all put time words like a.m., p.m., in the morning, in the afternoon, etc at the cease of the time, when yous tell the time in Chinese and desire to be precise, yous use the time words before the time on the 12-hour clock (not after!) post-obit the " wide to specific " dominion.

Here'south the format.

Time Words + Time on the Clock

So in Chinese, instead of saying five o'clock in the forenoon, you say forenoon five o'clock.

√ 早上五点 (zǎoshang wǔ diǎn)
× 五点早上 (wǔ diǎn zǎoshang)

Red china, of roughly similar size to the United States, has simply ane time zone: Beijing Standard Time. This ways words like 上午 (shàngwǔ) or 下午 (xiàwǔ) are versatile depending on which region of China people alive. For instance, when information technology's noon in the uppercase, the sun merely starts to rise three,000 miles further west, in Kashgar, Xinjiang. And so don't be surprised when you hear locals in that location say 早上十二点 (zǎoshang shí èr diǎn) – "early morning twelve o'clock" as opposed to 中午十二点 (zhōngwǔ shí èr diǎn) – midday twelve o'clock".

You tin can likewise use the time words independently when the exact time is not very important and yous just want to talk well-nigh the general time of the solar day.

Here are some examples,

早上很冷。
Zǎoshang hěn lěng.
It's very cold in the (early) morning.
Literally: "(Early) morning very cold."

上午我有一个会。
Shàngwǔ wǒ yǒu yí gè huì.
I have a meeting in the (belatedly) morning.
Literally, "(Belatedly) morning I accept a meeting."

中午你吃什么？
Zhōngwǔ nǐ chī shénme?
What practise y'all eat for midday (tiffin)?
Literally, "Midday yous eat what?"

下午我在家。
Xiàwǔ wǒ zài jiā.
I am at home in the afternoon.
Literally, "Afternoon I am at domicile."

晚上我睡八小时。
Wǎnshang wǒ shuì bā xiǎoshí.
I sleep eight hours at night.
Literally, "Night I sleep 8 hours."

Not sure how word order works in a Chinese sentence? Read our basic Chinese grammar guide for beginners.

Telling the Time on 24-hour Clock

Though the norm in daily Chinese is to employ the 12-hour clock, y'all may yet find the 24-hr clock used for news reports, documents, timetables, television or film listings, or hours that a shop is open.

In Chinese, you pronounce this the same way equally the 12-hour clock organisation.

fifteen:00
十五点
shí wǔ diǎn
Literally: "fifteen o'clock"

18:42
十八点四十二
shí bā diǎn sì shí èr
Literally: "xviii o'clock xl-two"

Go on in mind this isn't the military fourth dimension you may have learned in English. Y'all don't say "fifteen-hundred hours" in Chinese. It's yet the number i-24 followed by 点 (diǎn).

How to Enquire the Fourth dimension in Chinese

Now that you know how to say the fourth dimension, permit'southward learn how to properly ask the time in Chinese likewise. This volition come in handy when your phone is out of juice!

There are two common ways y'all tin can ask for the time in Chinese.

1. 现在几点？ (Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?)

This is the standard expression you tin can use if you desire to know what time it is on the clock.

The word 几 (jǐ) is the question word for numbers. So this question literally means "Now (is) what number o'clock?". Ask this question and people volition respond with ane of the expressions we've learned in the previous sections, similar

现在四点半。
Xiànzài sì diǎn bàn.
It's half past four.
Literally, "At present (is) four o'clock half."

Or simply only the time,

四点半。
Sì diǎn bàn.
Half past four.
Literally, "Four o'clock one-half."

2. 现在几点钟？ (Xiànzài jǐ diǎnzhōng?)

Another manner to ask what time it is in Chinese is to use the longer form of the previous question – 现在几点钟？ (Xiànzài jǐ diǎnzhōng?)

Opposite to what you might retrieve, the full form of 点 (diǎn) – 点钟 (diǎnzhōng) actually makes the question more casual, not formal. Feel free to employ it in general chat with your friends.

Now, if you end a random person on the street to enquire them what fourth dimension it is, y'all could add the phrase – 请问 (qǐng wèn), meaning "may I inquire…" at the showtime of your question to audio polite.

请问, 现在几点(钟)？
Qǐng wèn, xiànzài jǐ diǎnzhōng?
Excuse me, what fourth dimension is information technology?
Literally, "May I ask, now (is) what number o'clock?"

Important: Fifty-fifty though the phrase 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) means "what fourth dimension", y'all never use information technology to ask what the fourth dimension is in Chinese – 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) works more than similar the question word "when" in English language.

Saying & Asking at What Time Things Happen

All right, at present that you have a bunch of time-telling expressions at your disposal, you're prepare to employ them to talk about your daily routines and plans.

Describing Daily Routines

To draw what you do during the day and at what time, simply mention the time earlier your action.

我早上七点起床。
Wǒ zǎoshang qī diǎn qǐchuáng.
I get up at 7:00 a.thousand.
Literally, "I morn seven o'clock get up."

我中午十二点半吃午饭。
Wǒzhōngwǔ shí èr diǎn bàn chī wǔfàn.
I have lunch at 12:30 pm.
Literally, "I midday twelve o'clock half eat tiffin."

我下午五点三刻下班。
Wǒ xiàwǔ wǔ diǎn sān kè xià bān.
I go off from piece of work at 5:45 p.m.
Literally, "I afternoon v o'clock iii quarters go off work."

我晚上十一点睡觉。
Wǒ wǎnshang shí yī diǎn shuìjiào.
I go to bed at xi:00 p.m.
Literally, "I evening eleven o'clock sleep."

Before nosotros move on, at that place are two things you need to be enlightened of when you include fourth dimension in a sentence.

1. Unlike in English, the position of fourth dimension phrase is rather stock-still in a Chinese sentence – information technology must be placed before the verb. Therefore, y'all tin can't say "go upward in the morning" or "go up at seven o'clock" in Chinese, instead, you say "(in the) morning become upward", "(at) vii o'clock get up". Read more than about basic Chinese give-and-take club.

2. Phrases similar "in the morning", "at seven o'clock", etc can't be translated verbatim in Chinese. Though yous could be tempted to add 在 (zài) – the give-and-take for "in" or "at" – before the time give-and-take, don't do it. The just correct way to talk about something happening at a specific time in Chinese is by saying the time on its ain.

Making Plans for the Future

If you're having a conversation with friends and making plans for the hereafter, like coming together for coffee the side by side 24-hour interval, yous tin can apply the phrase 好吗? (hǎo ma?) at the end to suggest information technology. For example,

我们明天下午一点见，好吗？
Wǒmen míngtiān xiàwǔ yī diǎnjiàn, hǎo ma?
Shall we meet at 1:00 p.thou. tomorrow?
Literally, "We tomorrow afternoon ane o'clock meet, okay?"

我们上午十一点开始，好吗？
Wǒmenshàngwǔ shí yī diǎn kāishǐ, hǎo ma?
Shall we begin at xi:00 a.m.?
Literally, "We (late) morning eleven o'clock brainstorm, okay?"

我们两点一刻出发，好吗？
Wǒmen liǎng diǎn yī kè chūfā, hǎo ma?
Shall we exit at a quarter past two?
Literally, "We two o'clock a quarter depart, okay?"

我们晚上八点半到，好吗？
Wǒmen wǎnshàng bā diǎn bàn dào, hǎo ma?
Is it okay for us to arrive at 8:30 p.m.?
Literally, "Nosotros evening eight o'clock one-half make it, okay?"

People tin can then respond with whether that'south okay (好 hǎo) or not (不好 bù hǎo), or if they'd like to advise a different time.

Asking When Something Will Happen

If you don't have a fourth dimension in mind, or simply want to know what time you're going to meet or when things will happen, use the phrase 几点 (jǐ diǎn) – "what number clock" to inquire for that information.

Yous don't need to change word order – simply replace the physical time in a believable answer with the question word 几点 (jǐ diǎn).

你几点起床？
Nǐjǐ diǎn qǐchuáng?
What time exercise you get up?
Literally, "Y'all what number o'clock get up?"

你几点下班？
Nǐjǐ diǎn xià bān?
What time do yous get off from work?
Literally, "You what number o'clock become off work?"

我们明天几点见？
Wǒmen míngtiān jǐ diǎn jiàn?
When shall we meet tomorrow?
Literally, "We tomorrow what number o'clock meet?"

我们几点出发？
Wǒmen jǐ diǎn chūfā?
When shall we leave?
Literally, "We what number o'clock depart?"

There you lot go!

Other Useful Time Expressions in Chinese

Wow, that's a lot of information, isn't information technology?

I would say the above should have given yous a solid foundation to express the correct time, make plans with people and understand some of People's republic of china's fourth dimension-related nuances.

But if you're in the mood for more, here'south an additional listing of useful words and phrases you can use when telling time in Chinese.

Chinese	Pinyin	English language
…整	… zhěng	(…o'clock) sharp
刚才	gāngcái	only now
马上	mǎshàng	immediately
一会儿	yí huìr	soon
今天	jīntiān	today
明天	míngtiān	tomorrow
后天	hòutiān	the 24-hour interval after tomorrow
昨天	zuótiān	yesterday
前天	qiántiān	the day before yesterday
今天晚上	jīntiān wǎnshang	tonight
明天早上	míngtiān zǎoshang	tomorrow forenoon
昨天下午	zuótiān xiàwǔ	yesterday afternoon
白天	báitiān	during the day
大约…	dàyuē …	around…
…以前	… yǐqián	before…
…以后	… yǐhòu	after…
…的时候	… de shíhou	when… (statement)
早	zǎo	early
晚	wǎn	belatedly
小时	xiǎoshí	hour
分钟	fēnzhōng	minute (duration)
秒	miǎo	2nd

Practise on Telling the Time in Chinese

Think y'all've got information technology? Test yourself on telling the fourth dimension in Chinese with these translation exercises.

viii:05 a.m.
2:15 p.thousand.
4:45 p.m.
18:58
What time is it?
It'due south 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Information technology'southward 12:00 a.1000. (midnight)
What fourth dimension shall we meet?
We'll meet at 7:xxx tomorrow morning.
The meeting starts at 3:20 p.m.

Answers:

早上八点零五(分)
zǎoshang bā diǎn líng wǔ (fēn)
下午二点一刻; 下午两点一刻
xiàwǔ èr diǎn yí kè or xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn yí kè (more colloquial)
下午四点三刻
xiàwǔ sì diǎn sān kè
十八点五十八
shí bā diǎn wǔ shí bā
现在几点(钟)？
Xiànzài jǐ diǎn (zhōng)?
现在(是)中午十二点。
Xiànzài (shì) zhōngwǔ shí èr diǎn.
现在(是)晚上十二点。
Xiànzài (shì) wǎnshang shí èr diǎn.
我们几点见？
Wǒmen jǐ diǎn jiàn?
我们明天早上七点半见。
Wǒmen míngtiān zǎoshang qī diǎn bàn jiàn.
会议下午三点二十开始。
Huìyì xiàwǔ sān diǎn èr shí kāishǐ.

FAQ well-nigh Chinese Time

Before I wrap things up, let'due south go through a few common questions I receive about expressing time in Chinese.

There are three words for "fourth dimension" in Chinese: 时间 (shíjiān), 时候 (shíhòu), and 次 (cì), each with a different significant and is used quite differently.

时间 (shíjiān) refers to a duration of time as in "I need more than time", 时候 (shíhòu) refers to a signal in time as in "this time next year", and 次 (cì) refers to an example of fourth dimension equally in "I did it one time (once)". Watch this video if you're dislocated.

Although China uses a 12-60 minutes clock, there are no equivalent words for AM and PM exactly in Chinese. You'll employ additional time words to distinguish the time of the day. They include:

早上 (zǎoshang) and 上午 (shàngwǔ) can be translated every bit "early morning time" and "tardily morning time", but there are no fixed hours for these fourth dimension expressions.

A rule of thumb is to utilise 早上 (zǎoshang) to talk about sun-rising hours from dawn to effectually 9:00 a.chiliad, and 上午 (shàngwǔ) from 9ish to 11:00 a.m. although this changes with the seasons as well every bit the region you live in, for instance, sunrise is around ten:00 am in the westernmost city of Cathay in the wintertime, so even 12:30 p.m. can be referred to as 早上 (zǎoshang) in that area.

Although Mainland china spans five time zones geographically, it has just i official fourth dimension zone – Beijing Standard Fourth dimension (UTC+08:00 – viii hours alee of Coordinated Universal Fourth dimension). So when it's 10:00 A.M. in Beijing, it's 10:00 A.Chiliad. in Shanghai (on the east shore), and 10:00 A.Thousand too in Kashgar, Xinjiang (iii,000 miles west).

Although many textbooks prefer to use 两点 (liǎng diǎn) considering it better matches the "grammar rule", both 二点 (èr diǎn) and 两点 (liǎng diǎn) are widely used to express "two o'clock" in Chinese. 两点 (liǎng diǎn) is more common in colloquial Chinese while you'll hear 二点 (èr diǎn) more than oftentimes in formal contexts. You'll be fine to utilise them interchangeably in daily life. Read more near 二 (èr) vs 两 (liǎng).

For the notation of time, you can cull betwixt numerals only, Chinese characters, or a mixture of numerals and characters. For case,

7:forty
七点四十(分)
7点40(分)

"Hour", "minute" and "2nd" in Chinese are 小时 (xiǎoshí), 分钟 (fēnzhōng) – and 秒 (miǎo), respectively. Note these words tin serve as their own measure out words (they count time), so no extra measure word is needed when proverb them with numbers.

一小时 (yì xiǎoshí) – i hour
一分钟 (yì fēnzhōng) – i minute
一秒 (yì miǎo) – one 2d

As well, don't get 分钟 (fēnzhōng) mixed up with 分 (fēn) which is the minute on the clock rather than in duration.

Compare

十分钟(shífēnzhōng)
ten minutes (talking about elapsing)

八点十分(bā diǎn shí fēn)
8:10
Literally, "eight o'clock ten minutes" (talking almost the minute on the clock)

At that place are 2 chief ways of asking "are you lot gratis" or "do you have time?" in Chinese:

你有空吗？(Nǐ yǒu kòng ma?)
– Literally, "You have gratuitous time?"

你有时间吗？(Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma?)
– Literally, "You have time?"

The get-go expression is more common in spoken Chinese.

To reply the question when y'all get asked, simply say 有 (yǒu) for yes, or 没有 (méiyǒu) for no.

Quick Summary

I hope past at present you've got a good grasp of Chinese time, how to tell it, how to ask and answer some bones questions effectually it.

Withal, hither's a quick recap of what nosotros covered in this guide:

To tell the time in Chinese, use the formula 现在是 (Xiànzài shì) + time. Fourth dimension is expressed by saying the number of the hour first, followed by 点 (diǎn), and then the number of the minute. For whatsoever infinitesimal under ten, read out the "zero" – 零 (líng) before the number. An optional 分 (fēn) can exist put at the end, but it's often omitted in spoken Chinese.

To say "half past", and "quarter by" the 60 minutes, add together the words 半 (bàn) and 一刻 (yí kè) to "on the hour" phrases. "Quarter to" is rarely said in Chinese, instead, utilize 三刻 (yí kè) – "iii quarters" – after the time on the electric current hr.

Talking near time in Chinese involves more than the numbers on the clock. To be precise almost the fourth dimension of the day, add together a time word earlier saying the time on the clock. The most mutual time words are 早上 (zǎoshang) – "early morning", 上午 (shàngwǔ) – "late morning", 中午 (zhōngwǔ) – "midday", 下午 (xiàwǔ) – "afternoon", and 晚上 (wǎnshang) – "evening/night".

To inquire what time information technology is in Chinese, ask "现在几点？(Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?)" or "现在几点钟？(Xiànzài jǐ diǎnzhōng?)". To say at what fourth dimension things happen, say the time phrase earlier the verb. Prepositions like "in", "at", "on" are not needed in Chinese when including time in a sentence.

All clear?

At present, we too recommend combining what you learn in this guide with our other complimentary resources:

How to Say Chinese Numbers
How to Say the Engagement in Chinese
How to Say Days of the Week in Chinese
Common Time Words in Chinese
Bones Chinese Words and Phrases
Basic Chinese Grammar for Beginners

And One More Thing

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Source: https://improvemandarin.com/tell-time-in-chinese/