Difference between revisions of "Structure of times (basic)"
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| − | Time in Chinese, just like in English, is expressed by stating the hour first then the minute. | + | Time in Chinese, just like in English, is expressed by stating the hour first, and then the minute. |
== On the hour == | == On the hour == | ||
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<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | x 点 | + | (Date and/or time of day +) x 点 |
</div> | </div> | ||
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* 上午 七 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">shàngwǔ qī <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">7 o'clock a.m.</span> | * 上午 七 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">shàngwǔ qī <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">7 o'clock a.m.</span> | ||
* 下午 四 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">xiàwǔ sì <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">2 o'clock p.m.</span> | * 下午 四 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">xiàwǔ sì <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">2 o'clock p.m.</span> | ||
| − | * 中午 十二 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">zhōngwǔ shí | + | * 中午 十二 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">zhōngwǔ shí-èr <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans"> 12 o'clock noon</span> |
| − | * 明天 晚上 七 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">míngtiān wǎnshang qī <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">7 o'clock p.m. tomorrow</span> | + | * 明天 晚上 七 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">míngtiān wǎnshang qī <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">7 o'clock p.m. tomorrow evening</span> |
* 9 月 9 号 早上 六 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">jiǔ yuè jiǔ hào zǎoshang liù <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">September 9th, 6 o'clock a.m.</span> | * 9 月 9 号 早上 六 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">jiǔ yuè jiǔ hào zǎoshang liù <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">September 9th, 6 o'clock a.m.</span> | ||
| − | * 星期三 上午 九 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin"> | + | * 星期三 上午 九 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">Xīngqīsān shàngwǔ jiǔ <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">Wednesday at 9 o'clock a.m.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | x 点 半 | + | x 点 + 半 |
</div> | </div> | ||
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* 五 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">wǔ <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans">5:30</span> | * 五 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">wǔ <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans">5:30</span> | ||
* 下午 两 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">xiàwǔ liǎng <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans">2:30 p.m.</span> | * 下午 两 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">xiàwǔ liǎng <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans">2:30 p.m.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | * 星期天 上午 十 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">Xīngqītiān shàngwǔ shí <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans"> Sunday at 10:30 a.m.</span> |
| − | * 昨天 晚上 七 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">zuótiān qī <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans">7:30 yesterday</span> | + | * 昨天 晚上 七 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">zuótiān wǎnshang qī <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans">7:30 yesterday evening</span> |
* 今天 下午 四 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">jīntiān xiàwǔ sì <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans">4:30 p.m. this afternoon.</span> | * 今天 下午 四 <em>点 半</em><span class="pinyin">jīntiān xiàwǔ sì <em>diǎn bàn</em></span><span class="trans">4:30 p.m. this afternoon.</span> | ||
Revision as of 07:35, 13 February 2016
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Time in Chinese, just like in English, is expressed by stating the hour first, and then the minute.
Contents
On the hour
The time of day in Chinese is formed with a number 1 to 12 (一 (yī) to 十二 (shíèr)) followed by 点 (diăn). This 点 (diăn) is equivalent to o'clock in English. In China, people generally use a twelve-hour clock, preceded by 上午 (shàngwŭ) for "a.m." or 下午 (xiàwŭ) for "p.m." when necessary.
Structure
(Date and/or time of day +) x 点
Examples
If you want to include more specific information, start with the day or date, followed by the general time of day, with the exact clock time last. (This is the big-to-small pattern.)
- 九 点9 o'clock
- 上午 七 点7 o'clock a.m.
- 下午 四 点2 o'clock p.m.
- 中午 十二 点 12 o'clock noon
- 明天 晚上 七 点7 o'clock p.m. tomorrow evening
- 9 月 9 号 早上 六 点September 9th, 6 o'clock a.m.
- 星期三 上午 九 点Wednesday at 9 o'clock a.m.
Note that two o'clock is 两点 (liǎng diǎn), not 二点 (èr diǎn). (For more information on when to use 两 (liǎng) vs. 二 (èr), see "Er" and "liang").
Half hours
Half hours are added after 点 (diăn) and are indicated with 半 (bàn).
Structure
x 点 + 半
Examples
- 五 点 半5:30
- 下午 两 点 半2:30 p.m.
- 星期天 上午 十 点 半 Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
- 昨天 晚上 七 点 半7:30 yesterday evening
- 今天 下午 四 点 半4:30 p.m. this afternoon.
As a beginner, that should be all you need. If you've mastered all of these structures and want to get a little more advanced, see structure of times (advanced).
