How To Tell Time In Chinese

The Core Time Words You Need

The Basic Pattern For Saying Time

The default order is very clean: hour first, minute second. So 7:20 becomes 七点二十分 (qī diǎn èrshí fēn). Not mysterious. Not dramatic. Just math with better snacks.

Rule: Say The Hour First

Chinese puts the hour before the minutes.

• 一点 (yī diǎn) — 1:00
  Example: 现在一点。
  Xiànzài yī diǎn.
  It is 1:00 now.
• 四点 (sì diǎn) — 4:00
  Example: 会议四点开始。
  Huìyì sì diǎn kāishǐ.
  The meeting starts at 4:00.
• 九点 (jiǔ diǎn) — 9:00
  Example: 学校九点开门。
  Xuéxiào jiǔ diǎn kāimén.
  The school opens at 9:00.

Rule: Add 分 (fēn) For Exact Minutes

• 六点十分 (liù diǎn shí fēn) — 6:10
  Example: 火车六点十分出发。
  Huǒchē liù diǎn shí fēn chūfā.
  The train leaves at 6:10.
• 八点二十五分 (bā diǎn èrshíwǔ fēn) — 8:25
  Example: 我们八点二十五分见。
  Wǒmen bā diǎn èrshíwǔ fēn jiàn.
  Let’s meet at 8:25.
• 十一点四十分 (shíyī diǎn sìshí fēn) — 11:40
  Example: 电影十一点四十分结束。
  Diànyǐng shíyī diǎn sìshí fēn jiéshù.
  The movie ends at 11:40.

Rule: Use 半 (bàn) For :30

For half past the hour, Chinese usually uses 半 (bàn), not 三十分 (sānshí fēn) in casual speech.

• 两点半 (liǎng diǎn bàn) — 2:30
  Example: 我两点半下班。
  Wǒ liǎng diǎn bàn xiàbān.
  I finish work at 2:30.
• 七点半 (qī diǎn bàn) — 7:30
  Example: 我们七点半吃饭。
  Wǒmen qī diǎn bàn chīfàn.
  We eat at 7:30.
• 九点半 (jiǔ diǎn bàn) — 9:30
  Example: 她九点半睡觉。
  Tā jiǔ diǎn bàn shuìjiào.
  She goes to sleep at 9:30.

Rule: Use 一刻 (yí kè) For :15

• 三点一刻 (sān diǎn yí kè) — 3:15
  Example: 老师三点一刻到。
  Lǎoshī sān diǎn yí kè dào.
  The teacher arrives at 3:15.
• 十点一刻 (shí diǎn yí kè) — 10:15
  Example: 我十点一刻有课。
  Wǒ shí diǎn yí kè yǒu kè.
  I have class at 10:15.

Rule: Use 三刻 (sān kè) Or More Commonly 45 Minutes

You may hear 三刻 (sān kè, three quarters), but many speakers just say the full minutes.

• 三点三刻 (sān diǎn sān kè) — 3:45
  Example: 他三点三刻回来。
  Tā sān diǎn sān kè huílái.
  He comes back at 3:45.
• 三点四十五分 (sān diǎn sìshíwǔ fēn) — 3:45
  Example: 车三点四十五分到站。
  Chē sān diǎn sìshíwǔ fēn dào zhàn.
  The bus arrives at 3:45.

Rule: Use 差 (chà) For “To” Times

This pattern means the clock is a certain number of minutes before the next hour.

• 差五分六点 (chà wǔ fēn liù diǎn) — 5:55
  Example: 现在差五分六点。
  Xiànzài chà wǔ fēn liù diǎn.
  It is 5:55 now.
• 差十分八点 (chà shí fēn bā diǎn) — 7:50
  Example: 现在差十分八点。
  Xiànzài chà shí fēn bā diǎn.
  It is 7:50 now.

How To Say Morning, Afternoon, And Evening Times

Chinese often adds a time-of-day word to make things crystal clear.

• 早上六点半 (zǎoshang liù diǎn bàn) — 6:30 a.m.
  Example: 我早上六点半跑步。
  Wǒ zǎoshang liù diǎn bàn pǎobù.
  I go jogging at 6:30 a.m.
• 下午两点 (xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn) — 2:00 p.m.
  Example: 我们下午两点开会。
  Wǒmen xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn kāihuì.
  We have a meeting at 2:00 p.m.
• 晚上九点十五分 (wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn shíwǔ fēn) — 9:15 p.m.
  Example: 他晚上九点十五分到家。
  Tā wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn shíwǔ fēn dào jiā.
  He gets home at 9:15 p.m.

When To Use 两 (liǎng) Instead Of 二 (èr)

For 2 o’clock, Chinese usually uses 两点 (liǎng diǎn), not 二点 (èr diǎn). This trips up beginners all the time because of course it does.

• 两点 (liǎng diǎn) — 2:00
  Example: 电影两点开始。
  Diànyǐng liǎng diǎn kāishǐ.
  The movie starts at 2:00.
• 两点半 (liǎng diǎn bàn) — 2:30
  Example: 她两点半吃午饭。
  Tā liǎng diǎn bàn chī wǔfàn.
  She eats lunch at 2:30.
• 两点二十分 (liǎng diǎn èrshí fēn) — 2:20
  Example: 我们两点二十分出发。
  Wǒmen liǎng diǎn èrshí fēn chūfā.
  We leave at 2:20.

Useful Real-Life Time Sentences

Quick Practice

Read each time in Chinese first, then check the answer below. No cheating. Your yak is watching.

• 3:00 → 三点 (sān diǎn)
• 4:15 → 四点一刻 (sì diǎn yí kè)
• 6:30 → 六点半 (liù diǎn bàn)
• 8:20 → 八点二十分 (bā diǎn èrshí fēn)
• 11:45 → 十一点四十五分 (shíyī diǎn sìshíwǔ fēn)
• 2:00 p.m. → 下午两点 (xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn)
• 7:50 → 差十分八点 (chà shí fēn bā diǎn)

Mini Drill: Translate These Sentences

• I go to bed at 10:30. → 我十点半睡觉。
  Wǒ shí diǎn bàn shuìjiào.
• We leave at 9:05. → 我们九点五分出发。
  Wǒmen jiǔ diǎn wǔ fēn chūfā.
• What time is class? → 课几点开始？
  Kè jǐ diǎn kāishǐ?

Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes

• Mistake: 二点 (èr diǎn) for 2:00.
  Fix: Use 两点 (liǎng diǎn).
  Example: 会议两点开始。
  Huìyì liǎng diǎn kāishǐ.
  The meeting starts at 2:00.
• Mistake: Putting minutes before the hour.
  Fix: Say the hour first, then the minutes.
  Correct: 七点二十分 (qī diǎn èrshí fēn).
  Example: 现在七点二十分。
  Xiànzài qī diǎn èrshí fēn.
  It is 7:20 now.
• Mistake: Overusing 三十分 (sānshí fēn) for :30 in casual speech.
  Fix: Use 半 (bàn) most of the time.
  Example: 我七点半回家。
  Wǒ qī diǎn bàn huíjiā.
  I go home at 7:30.
• Mistake: Forgetting the time-of-day word when it matters.
  Fix: Add 上午 (shàngwǔ), 下午 (xiàwǔ), or 晚上 (wǎnshang).
  Example: 我下午四点有空。
  Wǒ xiàwǔ sì diǎn yǒu kòng.
  I am free at 4:00 p.m.

Quick Reference Summary

Master these patterns, practice with your own daily schedule, and soon saying 早上七点半 (zǎoshang qī diǎn bàn, 7:30 a.m.) or 晚上九点十五分 (wǎnshang jiǔ diǎn shíwǔ fēn, 9:15 p.m.) will feel a lot less like homework and a lot more like real Chinese.