Understanding and Expressing Time in Chinese

Understanding how to express time is essential for everyday conversation in Chinese, whether you're arranging meetings, talking about your day, or simply asking for the current time. This guide will introduce essential vocabulary, including how to say "o'clock," minutes, and phrases like "in the morning" and "in the afternoon." It also covers practical ways to ask and answer questions about time, date, and day of the week, using both formal and casual expressions. Let’s dive into the basics of telling time in Chinese!

Vocabulary List

1. 现在 (xiàn zài) – now

2. 几 (jǐ) – how many

3. 点 (diǎn) – o’clock

4. 分 (fēn) – minute (of time)

5. 半 (bàn) – half

6. 刻 (kè) – quarter of an hour

7. 上午 (shàng wǔ) – morning (late morning)

8. 下午 (xià wǔ) – afternoon/evening

9. 日期 (rì qī) – dates

10. 年 (nián) – year

11. 月 (yuè) – month

12. 号 (hào) – date (casual)

13. 日 (rì) – date (formal); day

14. 今天 (jīn tiān) – today

15. 明天 (míng tiān) – tomorrow

16. 后天 (hòu tiān) – the day after tomorrow

17. 昨天 (zuó tiān) – yesterday

18. 
    

前天 (qián tiān) – the day before yesterday

How to Tell Time in Chinese

1. Hours
To say the hour in Chinese, add "点" (diǎn), which means "o’clock," after the number of the hour.

• Example: 十一点 (shíyī diǎn) – 11 o’clock.

2. Minutes
For the minutes, add the number followed by "分" (fēn). If it’s a specific minute within an hour, say the hour, add "点," and then the minute. "分" is optional for any time over 10 minutes but can be added for clarity.

• Examples:

• 现在三十七分 (xiànzài sānshíqī fēn) – It’s 37 minutes past the hour.

• 八点零五 (bā diǎn líng wǔ) – 8:05. (The "零" before "五" indicates 05 minutes.)

3. Half and Quarter Hours
"半" (bàn) is used for half an hour, and "刻" (kè) for a quarter-hour.

Examples:

• 十一点半 (shíyī diǎn bàn) – Half past eleven (11:30).
• 四点一刻 (sì diǎn yī kè) – A quarter past four (4:15).

A.M. vs. P.M.: Understanding 上午 and 早上

In Chinese, there are slight differences in the terms used to indicate morning:

• 上午 (shàngwǔ) is a more formal term and typically refers to the late morning hours, from around 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• 早上 (zǎoshàng) generally covers the early morning hours, often from sunrise until around 8 or 9 a.m. It’s used more commonly in casual conversation to refer to the earlier part of the morning.

In daily use, both can mean "morning," but understanding this distinction can add clarity, especially if you’re describing specific parts of the day. For example:

• 早上七点 (zǎoshàng qī diǎn) – 7 a.m. (early morning)

• 上午十点 (shàngwǔ shí diǎn) – 10 a.m. (late morning)

How to State Dates in Chinese

The Chinese date format follows year + month + day using cardinal numbers (no "first," "second," etc.). For casual dates, use "号" (hào); for formal, use "日" (rì).

• Example: 2024年11月7日 (èr líng èr sì nián shíyī yuè qī rì) – November 7, 2024.

In Chinese, the year is expressed by reading each digit individually. For example, the year "2024" is pronounced as 二零二四年 (èr líng èr sì nián), which translates directly to "two-zero-two-four year." This approach is different from English, where we usually say the numbers in pairs (like "twenty twenty-four").

Example Sentences:

• 今年是哪一年？ (Jīnnián shì nǎ yī nián?) – "What year is it this year?"

• 今年是二零二四年。 (Jīnnián shì èr líng èr sì nián.) – "This year is 2024."

When writing dates in Chinese, the sequence always starts with the year, followed by the month, and then the day, in a "largest-to-smallest" format. For example, April 14, 2024, would be written as 2024年4月14日 (èr líng èr sì nián sì yuè shí sì rì).

Asking for the Date
To ask, "What date is today?" say: 今天几号？(Jīntiān jǐ hào?)

Answering: 今天是十一月七号 (Jīntiān shì shíyī yuè qī hào) – Today is November 7.

Time-Telling Structures

• Hour + 点 (diǎn)

• Hour + 点 (diǎn) + Minute + 分 (fēn)

• Hour + 点 (diǎn) + 半 (bàn) – half-hour

• Hour + 点 (diǎn) + 一刻 (yī kè) – quarter-hour

上午 / 下午 + Hour 点 + Minute 分 (optional)

Time inChinese – Useful Phrases

Key Time Phrases:

1. 现在几点？ (Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?) – What time is it now?

2. 现在十点半。 (Xiànzài shí diǎn bàn.) – It’s ten thirty.

3. 今天几号？ (Jīntiān jǐ hào?) – What date is today?

4. 今天十月二十九号。 (Jīntiān shíyuè èrshíjiǔ hào.) – Today is October 29.

5. 明天是几号？ (Míngtiān shì jǐ hào?) – What’s tomorrow’s date?

6. 明天是一月三号。 (Míngtiān shì yīyuè sān hào.) – Tomorrow is January 3.

7. 今天星期几？ (Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ?) – What day is today?

8. 今天星期二。 (Jīntiān xīngqī èr.) – Today is Tuesday.

今天四月十四号，星期五。 (Jīntiān sìyuè shísì hào, xīngqī wǔ.) – Today is Friday, April 14.

Examplesin Context:

Telling the Time:

• 现在是下午三点。 (Xiànzài shì xiàwǔ sān diǎn.)
  It’s 3 p.m.

• 我们晚上七点见面吧。 (Wǒmen wǎnshàng qī diǎn jiànmiàn ba.)
  Let’s meet at 7 in the evening.

Expressing Days and Dates:

• 今天是几月几号？(Jīntiān shì jǐ yuè jǐ hào?)
  What’s today’s date?

今天是2024年11月7号。 (Jīntiān shì èr líng èr sì nián shíyī yuè qī hào.)
Today is November 7, 2024.

Using A.M. andP.M.:

• 他早上八点起床。 (Tā zǎoshang bā diǎn qǐchuáng.)
  He gets up at 8 a.m.

• 我们下午四点开会。 (Wǒmen xiàwǔ sì diǎn kāihuì.)
  We have a meeting at 4 p.m.

Mastering time expressions in Chinese can make daily interactions smoother and help you communicate more naturally. Whether you’re discussing plans, confirming dates, or just keeping track of your schedule, these essential phrases and structures provide a solid foundation. Keep practicing these examples, and soon you'll feel confident asking for and sharing times and dates in Chinese. Happy learning.