Talking about time in Chinese isn’t just about knowing the numbers-it’s about grabbing the right words and patterns so you can make plans, share a memory, or just figure out if you’re late. This list hands you around 130 practical time words and expressions, from clock basics to stretches like yesterday, soon, and forever.
We’ve skipped the dusty textbook filler and focused on the vocabulary that shows up in everyday chats, schedules, and stories. Each entry pairs a straightforward meaning with a natural example sentence, so you see exactly how the word behaves in real Chinese.
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Quick Quiz
Think you’ve locked these time words into memory? Give the quiz a spin-no pressure, just a friendly way to spot what’s sticking and what could use a second pass.
Browse the Full List
| Word / Phrase | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 先生 | xiān sheng | teacher; husband; doctor (topolect) |
| 八 | bā | eight; 8 |
| 六 | liù | six; 6 |
| 写 | xiě | to write |
| 冷 | lěng | cold |
| 几 | jǐ | how much; how many; several |
| 出租车 | chū zū chē | taxi; (Taiwan) rental car |
| 分钟 | fēn zhōng | minute |
| 前面 | qián miàn | ahead; in front; preceding |
| 北京 | Běi jīng | Beijing; capital of People's Republic of China; Peking |
| 十 | shí | ten; 10 |
| 去 | qù | to go; to go to (a place); to cause to go or send (sb) |
| 叫 | jiào | to shout; to call; to order |
| 吃 | chī | to eat; to consume; to eat at (a cafeteria etc) |
| 同学 | tóng xué | to study at the same school; fellow student; classmate |
| 名字 | míng zi | name (of a person or thing); CL:個|个[gè] |
| 后面 | hòu mian | rear; back; behind |
| 吗 | ma | (question tag) |
| 听 | tīng | to listen; to hear; to obey |
| 呢 | ne | particle indicating that a previously asked question is to be applied to the preceding word ("What about ...?", "And ...?"); particle for inquiring about location ("Where is ...?"); particle signaling a pause |
| 和 | hé | and; together with; with |
| 哪 | nǎ | how; which |
| 商店 | shāng diàn | store; shop; CL:家 |
| 喂 | wèi | to feed |
| 喜欢 | xǐ huan | to like; to be fond of |
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