ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A1/11.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 

Time in Chinese, just like in English, is expressed by stating the hour first, and then the minute (big to small). 

== On the Hour ==

The time of day in Chinese is formed with a [[Structure of numbers|number]] 1 to 12 (一 (yī) to 十二 (shí'èr)) 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 ===

<div class="jiegou">

(Date and/or time of day +) x 点

</div>

Sometimes people use the longer 点钟 (diǎnzhōng) instead of just 点 (diǎn), but you're fine using the short form.

=== 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.) This is how Chinese gets around the need for "a.m." or "p.m.": use 上午 (shàngwǔ) for times in the morning, and 下午 (xiàwǔ) for times in the afternoon.

<div class="liju">

* 九 <em>点</em><span class="pinyin">jiǔ <em>diǎn</em></span><span class="trans">9 o'clock</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">4 o'clock p.m.</span>
* 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 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>
* 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>

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 our article on [[comparing "er" and "liang"]]).

"''Twelve'' o'clock," however, is still 十二点 (shí'èr diǎn).

== Half Hours ==

Half hours are added after 点 (diăn) and are indicated with 半 (bàn).

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">

x 点 + 半

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 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>
* 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 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>

</div>

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)]].

==See also==
*[[Structure of times (advanced)]]
*[[Structure of numbers]]
*[[Structure of dates]]
*[[Structure of days of the week]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 74-5)　[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 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 160) [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 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 185) [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 →buy]

[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
{{Basic Grammar|点|A1|Number + 点(钟)|现在 <em>十一点</em> 。|grammar point|ASGN6BBU}}
{{Rel char|点钟}}
{{Similar|Structure of times (advanced)}}  
{{Similar|Structure of numbers}}  
{{Similar|Structure of dates}}  
{{Similar|Before a specific time}}
{{Similar|Structure of days of the week}}
{{POS|Numbers}}