Times in Chinese
Learning how to tell time in Chinese is important for everyday situations such as making appointments, reading schedules, planning travel, and discussing daily routines.
Chinese time is usually written using numbers just like English, but when spoken it follows specific patterns that use Chinese number words and time expressions.
Example:
7:37
七点三十七分
qī diǎn sānshíqī fēn
This page explains how to read, write, and say time in Chinese.
Asking the Time in Chinese
To ask what time it is in Chinese, you can say:
现在几点？
Pinyin:
xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
Meaning:
What time is it now?
Example response:
现在三点。
Pinyin:
xiànzài sān diǎn
Meaning:
It is three o'clock.
Full Hours in Chinese
Chinese uses the character 点 (diǎn) to express hours.
Examples:
| Time | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | 一点 | yī diǎn |
| 2:00 | 两点 | liǎng diǎn |
| 3:00 | 三点 | sān diǎn |
| 4:00 | 四点 | sì diǎn |
| 5:00 | 五点 | wǔ diǎn |
Example sentence:
现在三点。
Pinyin:
xiànzài sān diǎn
Meaning:
It is now three o'clock.
Minutes in Chinese
Chinese minutes use the character 分 (fēn).
Examples:
| Minutes | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 十分 | shí fēn |
| 15 | 十五分 | shíwǔ fēn |
| 30 | 三十分 | sānshí fēn |
| 45 | 四十五分 | sìshíwǔ fēn |
Example:
3:10
三点十分
sān diǎn shí fēn
Combining Hours and Minutes
To say the full time in Chinese, combine the hour and minutes.
Examples:
3:25
三点二十五分
sān diǎn èrshíwǔ fēn
5:37
五点三十七分
wǔ diǎn sānshíqī fēn
7:45
七点四十五分
qī diǎn sìshíwǔ fēn
Half Past the Hour
Chinese commonly uses 半 (bàn) to express half past the hour.
Example:
3:30
三点半
sān diǎn bàn
Meaning:
half past three
Quarter Past and Quarter To
Chinese sometimes uses expressions for quarter past and quarter to.
Examples:
3:15
三点一刻
sān diǎn yí kè
Meaning:
quarter past three
3:45
三点三刻
sān diǎn sān kè
Meaning:
three quarters past three
In modern speech, many speakers simply say the minutes using 分.
Example:
三点四十五分
Morning and Evening Time Expressions
Chinese often adds words to show the time of day.
| Expression | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| morning | 早上 | zǎoshang |
| morning (formal) | 上午 | shàngwǔ |
| afternoon | 下午 | xiàwǔ |
| evening | 晚上 | wǎnshang |
Examples:
上午九点
Meaning:
9:00 AM
晚上八点
Meaning:
8:00 PM
Writing Time in Chinese
Time in Chinese can be written using Arabic numerals or Chinese characters.
Examples:
7:00
7点
18:30
18点30分
China commonly uses the 24-hour clock in schedules, transportation systems, and official contexts.
Examples:
| Time | Chinese |
|---|---|
| 14:00 | 十四点 |
| 18:30 | 十八点三十分 |
Practice Times in Chinese
You can practice telling time in Chinese using the interactive tools below.
Try Our Times in Chinese Interactive Translate Tool
Test Your Knowledge. Take the Chinese Numbers Quiz
Related Chinese Pages
Further reference: Wikibooks Mandarin numbers.