Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to express time in Chinese! Whether you’re planning a trip to China, learning Mandarin for business or personal reasons, or simply fascinated by Chinese culture, understanding how to tell time is an essential skill. In this guide, we’ll cover both formal and informal ways of expressing time, including various tips and examples. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Formal Ways to Say Time
When it comes to formal settings, such as business meetings, official events, or academic contexts, it’s important to use precise and polite language to express time. Here are some commonly used phrases:
上午 (shàngwǔ) – morning (before noon)
中午 (zhōngwǔ) – noon
下午 (xiàwǔ) – afternoon (afternoon until dinner time)
晚上 (wǎnshàng) – evening (from dinnertime to bedtime)
凌晨 (língchén) – early morning (between midnight and dawn)
半夜 (bànyè) – midnight (exactly 12 o’clock at night)
To be more specific, you can use the hour system with the Chinese word for “hour” (小时/xiǎoshí) or the minute system with the word for “minute” (分钟/fēnzhōng).
Here’s an example:
我约了李先生在下午三点见面。(Wǒ yuē le Lǐ xiānshēng zài xiàwǔ sān diǎn jiànmiàn.)
I have an appointment to meet Mr. Li at three o’clock in the afternoon.
Informal Ways to Say Time
In casual conversations with friends and family, you can use simpler expressions to convey time. Keep in mind that they are less precise and might be considered impolite in formal settings. Here are some examples:
- 早上 (zǎoshang) – morning (before noon)
- 中午 (zhōngwǔ) – noon
- 下午 (xiàwǔ) – afternoon
- 晚上 (wǎnshàng) – evening
- 半夜 (bànyè) – midnight
When it comes to expressing the specific time of day in an informal manner, you can use:
- 早 (zǎo) – early (referring to the morning)
- 晚 (wǎn) – late (referring to the evening or night)
- 半 (bàn) – half (referring to half past the hour)
For example:
我们晚上8点在餐厅见面。(Wǒmen wǎnshàng bā diǎn zài cāntīng jiànmiàn.)
Let’s meet at the restaurant at 8 o’clock in the evening.
Tips for Saying Time in Chinese
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:
1. Pay Attention to Tones:
Chinese is a tonal language, so make sure to pay attention to the tone of the words when saying time. For example, “上午” (shàngwǔ) uses the first tone, while “晚上” (wǎnshàng) uses the third tone.
2. Use Specific Numbers:
When stating the time in Chinese, it is common to use the specific numbers instead of approximations. For instance, say “三点” (sān diǎn) for 3 o’clock instead of “几点” (jǐ diǎn), which means “a few o’clock.”
3. Practice Pronunciation:
To accurately convey time in Mandarin, it’s important to practice proper pronunciation. You can use online resources or seek guidance from a native speaker to improve your pronunciation skills.
Regional Variations
While Mandarin Chinese is the official language of China, there are some regional variations in how time is expressed. Here’s an example of a regional variation in Guangdong province:
早晨 (jou5 san4) – morning (instead of 早上/zǎoshang)
半夜三点钟 (bun3 je6 sam1 dim2 zung1) – three o’clock in the morning (instead of 凌晨三点/língchén sān diǎn)
Keep in mind that the regional variations mentioned above are not as commonly used in standard Mandarin Chinese, and it’s best to stick to the standard phrases if you’re unsure.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve now learned how to express time in Chinese, both formally and informally. Whether you’re conducting business in China, socializing with friends, or simply exploring the language, these phrases will undoubtedly be useful. Remember to pay attention to tones, use specific numbers, and practice your pronunciation for accurate communication. Enjoy your journey in mastering Mandarin Chinese!
