几点了？ Jī diǎn le? What Time is It? How to Tell Time and Give Dates in Chinese
In this post we’ll learn how to tell time in Chinese, how to give dates in Chinese, and how to talk about days and months in Chinese. First we’ll start with Chinese vocabulary related to the time of day. Then you’ll learn how to tell time in Chinese. Next you’ll learn the days of the week in Chinese as well as the months of the year. Finally, you’ll learn how to give dates in Chinese.
白天 bái tiān, 晚上 wǎn shang: Day, Night
Let’s start with some basic vocabulary related to time of day: 白天 bái tiān day; 晚上 wǎn shang night; 早上 zǎo shang early morning; 上午 shàng wǔ late morning; 下午 xià wǔ afternoon; 晚上 wǎn shang evening, night.
- 还早呢。
Huán zǎo ne.
It’s early. - 晚了。
Wǎn le.
It’s late. - 我晚上睡觉。
Wǒ wǎn shang shuì jué.
I sleep at night. - 我白天工作。
Wǒ bái tiān gōng zuò.
I work during the day. - 我们晚上看书。
Wǒ men wǎn shàng kàn shū.
We read in the evening.
How to tell time in Chinese: 几点了？Jī diǎn le? What time is it?
To ask what time it is, use 几点了？jī diǎn le? The answer will follow the format 现在是…点 Xiànzài shì… diǎn (it is ___ o’clock now) for whole hours. Add 半 bàn after to mean half past. Instead of using AM or PM, you can add time phrases like the following to specify the time: 早上 zǎoshang (early morning), 上午 shàngwǔ (late morning), 中午 zhōngwǔ (midday), 下午 xiàwǔ (afternoon), or 晚上 wǎnshang (evening/night).
- 几点了？
Jī diǎn le?
What time is it? - 现在是一点。
Xiànzài shì yī diǎn.
It’s 1:00. - 现在是两点 。
Xiànzài shì liǎng diǎn
It’s 2:00. - 现在是三点半。
Xiànzài shì sān diǎn bàn.
It’s 3:30. - 现在是中午十二点。
Xiànzài shì zhōng wǔ shí èr diǎn.
It’s noon. - 现在是凌晨一点。
Xiànzài shì líng chén yī diǎn.
It’s 1:00AM. - 现在是下午一点。
Xiànzài shì xià wǔ yī diǎn.
It’s 1:00PM. - 现在是下午五点四十五。
Xiànzài shì xià wǔ wǔ diǎn sì shí wǔ.
It’s 5:45. - 火车什么时候开？
Huǒ chē shén me shí hou kāi?
What time does the train leave? - 火车下午一点半开。
Huǒ chē xià wǔ yī diǎn bàn kāi.
The train leaves at one thirty in the afternoon. - 商店什么时候开门/关门？
Shāng diàn shén me shí hou kāi mén / guān mén?
What time does the store open/close? - 这家商店上午十点开门。
Zhè jiā shāng diàn shàng wǔ shí diǎn kāi mén.
The store opens at ten o’clock in the morning.
The Days of the Week in Chinese
The days of the week in Chinese are formed by adding the number one through six (one for Monday, six for Saturday) to 星期 xīng qī. Sunday is a bit different. 星期一 xīng qī yī Monday; 星期二 xīng qī èr Tuesday; 星期三 xīng qī sān Wednesday; 星期四 xīng qī sì Thursday; 星期五 xīng qī wǔ Friday; 星期六 xīng qī liù Saturday; 星期天 xīng qī tiān Sunday. Some other key vocabulary is: 今天 jīntiān today, 明天 míngtiān tomorrow, 昨天 zuótiān yesterday, 今晚 jīn wǎn tonight, 周 zhōu the week, 周末 zhōumò the weekend.
- 今天是星期几？
Jīn tiān shì xīng qī jǐ?
What day is it today? - 我周一、周二、周三、周四和周五工作。
Wǒ zhōu yī, zhōu èr, zhōu sān, zhōu sì hé zhōu wǔ gōng zuò.
I work on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. - 我们每个星期六都去看朋友。
Wǒ men měi gè xīng qī liù dōu qù kàn péng you.
We see our friends every Saturday. - 你今晚要做什么？
Nǐ jīn wǎn yào zuò shén me?
What are you doing tonight? - 你昨天做了什么？
Nǐ zuó tiān zuò le shén me?
What did you do yesterday? - 周末见。
Zhōumò jiàn.
I’ll see you this weekend.
More Chinese Time Expressions
Some other important vocabulary to know when you’re talking about dates and times are: 周 zhōu week; 月 yuè month, 年 nián year.
- 这周、这个月、今年
zhè zhōu, zhè gè yuè, jīn nián
this week, this month, this year - 上周，上个月，去年
shàng zhōu, shàng gè yuè, qù nián
last week, last month, last year - 下周，下个月，明年
xià zhōu, xià gè yuè, míng nián
next week, next month, next year - 下周/下个月/明年开课。
Xià zhōu / Xià gè yuè / Míng nián kāi kè.
The class starts next week/ month/ year. - 这门课是上周/上个月/去年开始的。
Zhè mén kè shì shàng zhōu / shàng gè yuè / qù nián kāi shǐ de.
The class started last week/ month/ year.
Months in Chinese and How to Give Dates in Chinese
The months of the year in Chinese are formed by adding the number (one through twelve) to 月 yuè: 一月 yī yuè January, 二月 èr yuè February, 三月 sān yuè March, 四月 sì yuè April, 五月 wǔ yuè May, 六月 liù yuè June, 七月 qī yuè July, 八月 bā yuè August, 九月 jiǔ yuè September, 十月 shí yuè October, 十一月 shí yī yuè November, 十二月 shí èr yuè December.
- 今天几号？
Jīntiān jǐ hào?
What’s the date today? - 你的生日是什么时候？
Nǐ de shēng rì shì shén me shí hou?
When is your birthday? - 我的生日是十一月二十四号。
Wǒ de shēng rì shì shí yī yuè èr shí sì hào.
My birthday is on November twenty-fourth. - 我的家人八月二日号。
Wǒ de jiā rén bā yuè èr hào lái.
My family arrives on August second. - 我们七月八日到七月二十日去度假。
Wǒ men qī yuè bā rì dào qī yuè èr shí rì qù dù jià.
We go on vacation from July eighth through July twentieth.
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