Times in Japanese
Learning how to tell time in Japanese is important for everyday situations such as making appointments, reading schedules, planning travel, and discussing daily routines.
Japanese time is usually written using numbers just like English, but when spoken it follows specific patterns that use Japanese number words and counters.
Example:
7:37
七時三十七分
shichi-ji sanjū-nana-fun
This page explains how to read, write, and say time in Japanese.
Asking the Time in Japanese
To ask what time it is in Japanese, you can say:
今何時ですか？
Romaji:
ima nan-ji desu ka?
Meaning:
What time is it now?
Example response:
三時です。
Romaji:
san-ji desu
Meaning:
It is three o'clock.
Full Hours in Japanese
Japanese uses the counter 時 (ji) to express hours.
Examples:
| Time | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | 一時 | ichi-ji |
| 2:00 | 二時 | ni-ji |
| 3:00 | 三時 | san-ji |
| 4:00 | 四時 | yo-ji |
| 5:00 | 五時 | go-ji |
Example sentence:
今は三時です。
Romaji:
ima wa san-ji desu
Meaning:
It is now three o'clock.
Minutes in Japanese
Japanese minutes use the counter 分 (fun / pun).
Examples:
| Minutes | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 十分 | jū-pun |
| 15 | 十五分 | jū-go-fun |
| 30 | 三十分 | san-jū-pun |
| 45 | 四十五分 | yon-jū-go-fun |
Example:
3:10
三時十分
san-ji jū-pun
Combining Hours and Minutes
To say the full time in Japanese, combine the hour and minutes.
Examples:
3:25
三時二十五分
san-ji ni-jū-go-fun
5:37
五時三十七分
go-ji san-jū-nana-fun
7:45
七時四十五分
shichi-ji yon-jū-go-fun
Half Past the Hour
Japanese commonly uses 半 (han) to express half past the hour.
Example:
3:30
三時半
san-ji han
Meaning:
half past three
Noon and Midnight
Japanese has specific words for noon and midnight.
| Time | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 PM | 正午 | shōgo |
| 12:00 AM | 午前零時 | gozen rei-ji |
Examples:
今は正午です。
Meaning:
It is noon.
Writing Time in Japanese
Time in Japanese can be written using Arabic numerals or Japanese characters.
Examples:
7:00
7時
18:30
18時30分
Japan commonly uses the 24-hour clock in schedules, transportation systems, and official contexts.
Examples:
| Time | Japanese |
|---|---|
| 14:00 | 十四時 |
| 18:30 | 十八時三十分 |
Practice Times in Japanese
You can practice telling time in Japanese using the interactive tools below.
Try Our Times in Japanese Interactive Translate Tool
Test Your Knowledge. Take the Japanese Numbers Quiz
Related Japanese Pages
Further reference: Coto Academy guide to Japanese numbers.