If you already know [the basics of how to tell time in
Chinese](Structure_of_times_(basic) "wikilink"), you may want to get a
little more specific or sophisticated, using words like 分 (fēn) and 刻
(kè).
Minutes Past the Hour
---------------------
Minutes are marked with 分 (fēn) (short for 分钟 (fēnzhōng)). The way to
include them in the time depends on whether they're minutes *past* or
*to* the hour.
Minutes *past* the hour are expressed after 点 (diǎn) in the same way as
half and quarter hours.
Minutes Less Than 10
--------------------
### Structure
x 点 y 分
### Examples
- 一 点 四 十 分yī
diǎn sìshí
fēn1:40
- 两 点 十 分 liǎng
diǎn shí fēn2:10
- 三 点 二 十 分 sān
diǎn èrshí
fēn3:20
- 七 点 十 五 分 qī
diǎn shíwǔ
fēn7:15
- 九 点 五 十分 jiǔ
diǎn wǔshí
fēn9:50
Minutes Greater Than 10
-----------------------
### Structure
In Chinese, when the minute is under 10, the word 零 (líng) is often
used after 点 (diǎn). For example, 2:07 would be said as “两点零七分”
(liǎng diǎn líng qī fēn). However, note that when speaking, it is very
common for most Chinese people take out the “分 (fēn)” at the end of the
time.
x 点 零 y 分
### Examples
- 两 点 零 九分 liǎng
diǎn líng jiǔ
fēn2:09
- 三 点 零 八 分 sān
diǎn líng bā
fēn3:08
- 五 点 零 三 分 wǔ
diǎn líng sān
fēn5:03
- 七 点 零 一 分qī
diǎn líng yī
fēn7:01
- 八 点 零 五 分 bā
diǎn líng wǔ
fēn8:05
Quarter Hours
-------------
In Chinese, quarter hours are only expressed on the 1st quarter x:15,
and the third quarter x:45. Like half hours, they also come after the
word 点 (diăn). We use the word 刻 (kè) to express "quarter hour."
### Structure
x 点 y 刻
### Examples
- 九 点 一 刻jiǔ diǎn
yī kè9:15
- 十 二 点 一 刻shí'èr
diǎn yī kè12:15
- 六 点 三 刻liù diǎn
sān kè6:45
You can totally just use 十五分 (shíwǔ fēn) for "15 minutes (past)" or
四十五分 (sìshí-wǔ fēn) for "45 minutes (past)" if you're lazy, though.
It also works!
Minutes to the Hour
-------------------
When expressing how many minutes it will be till the next full hour, you
put 差 (chā) in front of the time expression.
### Structure
Minutes *to* the hour use this structure:
差 + Minutes + 分 + Hour + 点
or
Hour + 点 + 差 + Minutes + 分
### Examples
- 差 五 分 三 点chā wǔ
fēn sān diǎnfive minutes til 3
o'clock
- 十二 点 差 三 分 shí'èr
diǎn chā sān fēn three
minutes til 12 o'clock
- 差 五 分 八 点 半chā
wǔ fēn bā diǎn bànfive minutes
til 8:30
- 十 点 差 两 分 shí
diǎn chā liǎng fēn two
minutes til 10:00
See also
--------
- [Structure of times (basic)](Structure_of_times_(basic) "wikilink")
- [Structure of numbers](Structure_of_numbers "wikilink")
- [Structure of dates](Structure_of_dates "wikilink")
- [Structure of days of the
week](Structure_of_days_of_the_week "wikilink")
Sources and further reading
---------------------------
### Books
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
(3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
74-5) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385)
- [New Practical Chinese Reader
1 (新实用汉语课本1)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1) "wikilink") (pp.
160)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401)
- [New Practical Chinese Reader 1
(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
185)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235)
[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")