Difference between revisions of "Structure of times (basic)"

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* 一<em>点</em><em>零</em>四<em>分</em><span class="trans">1:04</span>
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* 一 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 四 <em>分</em> <span class="trans">1:04</span>
* 两<em>点</em><em>零</em>九<em>分</em><span class="trans">2:09</span>
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* 两 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 九<em>分</em> <span class="trans">2:09</span>
* 八<em>点</em><em>零</em>五<em>分</em><span class="trans">8:05</span>
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* 八 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 五 <em>分</em> <span class="trans">8:05</span>
* 五<em>点</em><em>零</em>三<em>分</em><span class="trans">5:03</span>
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* 五 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 三 <em>分</em> <span class="trans">5:03</span>
* 三<em>点</em><em>零</em>二<em>分</em><span class="trans">3:02</span>
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* 三 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 二 <em>分</em> <span class="trans">3:02</span>
* 七<em>点</em><em>零</em>三<em>分</em><span class="trans">7:03</span>
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* 七 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 三 <em>分</em><span class="trans">7:03</span>
* 一<em>点</em><em>零</em>四<span class="trans">1:04</span>
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* 一 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 四 <span class="trans">1:04</span>
* 两<em>点</em><em>零</em>九<span class="trans">2:09</span>
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* 两 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 九 <span class="trans">2:09</span>
* 八<em>点</em><em>零</em>五<span class="trans">8:05</span>
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* 八 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 五 <span class="trans">8:05</span>
* 五<em>点</em><em>零</em>三<span class="trans">5:03</span>
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* 五 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 三 <span class="trans">5:03</span>
* 三<em>点</em><em>零</em>二<span class="trans">3:02</span>
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* 三 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 二 <span class="trans">3:02</span>
* 七<em>点</em><em>零</em>三<span class="trans">7:03</span>
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* 七 <em>点</em> <em>零</em> 三<span class="trans">7:03</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 07:25, 14 February 2014

Time in Chinese also goes "big to small."

On the hour

The time of day in Chinese is formed with a number 1 to 12 (一 to 十二) followed by 点. This 点 is equivalent to o'clock in English. In China, people generally use a twelve hour clock, preceded by 上午 (a.m.) or 下午 (p.m.) if necessary.

Structure

x 点

Examples

  • 1 o'clock
  • 2 o'clock
  • 3 o'clock
  • 10 o'clock
  • 中午 十二 12 o'clock / noon
  • 上午 八 8 o'clock a.m.
  • 明天 晚上 七 7 o'clock p.m.
  • 9 月 9 号 早上 六 6 o'clock a.m., 9th Sep.
  • 每 天 下午 一 every day at 1 o'clock p.m
  • 星期 三 上午 九 9 o'clock a.m. on Wednesday

Note that two o'clock is 两点, not 二点. Also, 中午十二点 (12pm) is noon / midday, as in English.

Half hours and quarter hours

Half and quarter hours are added after 点. A half hour is indicated with 半, and a quarter with 一刻.

Half hours

Structure

x 点 半

Examples

  • 点 半5:30
  • 下午 两点 半2:30 p.m.
  • 9 月 9 号 早上 六点 半6:30 a.m., 9th Sep.
  • 每 天 下午 一 点 半1:30 p.m. every day
  • 星期 三 上午 九 点 半9:30 a.m. on Wednesday
  • 上午 十 点 半10:30 a.m.
  • 明天 三 点 半3:30 tomorrow
  • 昨天 七 点 半7:30 yesterday
  • 星期 五 晚上 十 点 半10:30 p.m. on Friday evening
  • 今天 下午 四 点 半4:30 p.m. this afternoon

quarter hours

Structure

x 点 x 刻

Examples

  • 7:15
  • 9:15
  • 十一11:15
  • 十二12:15
  • 5:15
  • 2:45
  • 1:45
  • 4:45
  • 10:45
  • 6:45

Minutes

Minutes are marked with 分 (short for 分钟). The way to include them in the time depends on whether they're minutes past or to the hour.

Past the hour

Minutes past the hour are added after 点 in the same way as half and quarter hours.

整数分钟

Structure

x 点 x 分

Examples

  • 四十1:40
  • 2:10
  • 二十五8:25
  • 三十5:30
  • 二十3:20
  • 十五7:15
  • 9:05
  • 四十五2:45
  • 十五1:15
  • 五十2:50

Also, you can omit 分 in this structure when X 分>10 分. For example: 2:15 is 两点十五.

Structure

当分钟数不是5,10,15这样的数字时,我们一般会在“点”后面加“零”,比如2:07 就是 “两点零七分”。需要注意的是,人们经常喜欢省略“两点零七分”后面的“分”,直接说“两点零七”。但如果是5,10,15这样的数字,你加“零”也不是错的。

x 点 零 x 分

Examples

  • 1:04
  • 2:09
  • 8:05
  • 5:03
  • 3:02
  • 7:03
  • 1:04
  • 2:09
  • 8:05
  • 5:03
  • 3:02
  • 7:03

To the hour

Structure

Minutes to the hour use this structure:

差 + minutes + 分 + hour + 点

Examples

  • 十 分 两 ten minutes til 2 o'clock
  • 五 分 三 three minutes til 3 o'clock
  • 二 十 分 十二twenty minutes til 12 o'clock
  • 两 分 五 two minutes til 5 o'clock
  • 八 分 八 eight minutes til 8 o'clock
  • 二 十 分 十二twenty minutes til 12 o'clock
  • 十 五 分 十fifteen minutes til 10 o'clock
  • 一刻 五 fifteen minutes til 5 o'clock
  • 五 分 八 five minutes til 8:30
  • 十 分 十ten minutes til 10:30

See also

Sources and further reading

Books