时间 (Time)

Tell the time in Mandarin Chinese.

Lesson

Telling the time:

现在几点？(Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?) — What time is it now?
三点 (sān diǎn) — 3 o'clock
三点半 (sān diǎn bàn) — 3:30
三点一刻 (sān diǎn yī kè) — 3:15
差一刻四点 (chà yī kè sì diǎn) — quarter to 4

Time words:

上午 (shàngwǔ) — morning
下午 (xiàwǔ) — afternoon
晚上 (wǎnshang) — evening

Vocabulary

Mandarin	English	Example
现在几点	What time is it now?	现在几点了？
点	O'clock	八点开始。
半	Half past	两点半。
上午	Morning (AM)	上午九点见。
下午	Afternoon (PM)	下午三点。
晚上	Evening	晚上好！

Pronunciation

Word	Phonetic	Tip
几点		"j" is palatal; "diǎn" = dot/point — 3rd tone both
半		4th tone — sharp falling. Means "half"
刻		4th tone. Means "quarter hour"

Grammar tip

Time before place before verb: In Chinese, time expressions come before place expressions which come before the verb: 我明天在北京工作 (I tomorrow in Beijing work).

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