一个小时
yí gè xiǎoshí
In Chinese, one hour is said as 一个小时 (yí gè xiǎoshí).
The phrase refers to a period of time lasting sixty minutes.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 一 (one), 个 (a general measure word) and 小时 (hour or small time).
Which one should you use?
While 小时 (xiǎoshí) refers to a duration of sixty minutes, 点 (diǎn) is used to refer to a specific point in time on the clock, such as three o'clock.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase 一小时 is the Simplified Chinese writing for one hour, while 一小時 is the Traditional Chinese writing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 小时 (xiǎoshí) can be used alone to mean 'hour', but it requires the measure word 个 (gè) when specifying a quantity like 'one hour'. When expressing duration, 一个小时 can be placed after a verb or at the end of a sentence to indicate how long an action lasted.
How do you pronounce it?
yí gè xiǎoshí
Did you know?
- In formal written Chinese or news broadcasts, 小时 is often replaced by the word 钟头 (zhōngtóu) in colloquial speech, which literally means 'bell head'.
- In ancient China, time was measured by the 'shichen' 时辰, which lasted two hours. This explains why the modern word for a sixty-minute hour, 小时, specifically uses the character for 'small' to distinguish it from the old system.
- The use of 小时 is a relatively modern standardization. Before the adoption of the Western 24-hour clock, people tracked time using the 'twelve earthly branches' and animal signs.
Examples in context
- 我温书温了一个小时。I studied for one hour.This sentence shows how to use 一个小时 to indicate how long someone studied.Tatoeba #704965 by sysko, translation #256047 by CK
- 我每天学习英语一个小时。I study English for one hour every day.This sentence uses 一个小时 to express a daily duration of study.Tatoeba #3231783 by visualtoday, translation #731361 by Eldad
- 不好意思，我先走了。我一个小时后有约会。我回家后，请别忘了打回给我。Sorry, but I have to go now. I have an appointment in one hour. Please don't forget to call me back when I get home.This sentence uses 一个小时 to indicate an appointment occurring in one hour.Tatoeba #9432401 by BobbyLee, translation #1169556 by cruzedu73
Example conversation
志强 and 梓涵 are deciding how long to wait for a movie to start.
- 志强 Zhiqiang电影还有一个小时才开始。Diànyǐng hái yǒu yī gè xiǎoshí cái kāishǐ.The movie won't start for another one hour.
- 梓涵 Zihan那我们去喝杯咖啡吧。Nà wǒmen qù hē bēi kāfēi ba.Then let's go drink a cup of coffee.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好，一个小时后见。Hǎo, yī gè xiǎoshí hòu jiàn.Okay, see you in one hour.
- 梓涵 Zihan好的，待会儿见。Hǎo de, dāihuì'er jiàn.Alright, see you later.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
