Chinese grammar - Talking about time - 'o'clock'

Talking about time - 'o'clock'

Here's a guide to talking about time in Chinese, including how to say 'o'clock' and related expressions.

To ask the time we use: 几点 (jǐ diǎn) - which literally means 'how many hours?'

We use the following words to state the time:

• 点 (diǎn) - hour and

• 分 (fēn) - minutes

There is no word like 'o'clock' in Chinese. To express the time you simply state the number of hours and the number of minutes.

However:

• For 'half past' add 半 (bàn) 'after' the hours.

• For 'quarter past' add 一刻 (yí kè) 'after' the hours.

• For 'quarter to' put 差一刻 (chà yí kè) 'before' the hours.

Examples:
	现在几点？ xiànzài jǐ diǎn? What time is it now?
	现在六点。 xiànzài liù diǎn. It is six o'clock now.
	我们七点见面。 wǒmen qī diǎn jiànmiàn. We meet at seven o'clock.
	他九点十分到公司。 tā jiǔ diǎn shí fēn dào gōngsī. He arrives at the company at 9:10. 分 (fēn) means 'minute'
	会议在十一点四十五分开始。 huìyì zài shíyī diǎn sìshíwǔ fēn kāishǐ. The meeting starts at 11:45. 四十五 (wǔ) means 'five'
	我八点半去上班。 wǒ bā diǎn bàn qù shàngbān. I go to work at half past 8.
	她十二点半吃午饭。 tā shí'èr diǎn bàn chī wǔfàn. She eats lunch at half past 12.
	我们四点一刻下班。 wǒmen sì diǎn yíkè xiàbān. We finish work at quarter past 4. 一刻 (yí kè) means 'a quarter of an hour' or '15 minutes' 下班 (xiàbān) means 'to get off work' or 'to finish work'
	他十点一刻到家。 tā shí diǎn yíkè dào jiā. He arrives home at quarter past 10.
	他们差一刻五点到。 tāmen chàyíkè wǔ diǎn dào. They arrive at a quarter to five (4:45). 差一刻 (chà yí kè) means 'a quarter to' or '15 minutes before' a certain hour
	我们差一刻八点出发。 wǒmen chàyíkè bā diǎn chūfā. We depart at a quarter to eight (7:45).
	你什么时候有空？ nǐ shénme#shíhou yǒukòng? When are you free? 有空 (yǒu kòng) means 'to be free' or 'to have free time'
	我们的会议几点开始？ wǒmen de huìyì jǐdiǎn kāishǐ? What time does our meeting start? 几点 (jǐ diǎn) means 'what time'
	你什么时候吃早饭？ nǐ shénme#shíhou chī zǎofàn? When do you have breakfast?
	他几点来？ tā jǐ diǎn lái? What time is he coming?