Whether you’re still wondering why 二點 and 兩點 need two different forms of ‘two’ or you just want to tell someone you’ll be there by three, this list has your back. Work through the patterns at your own speed, then grab the PDF when you need a cheat sheet for your phone or a printout.
Ready to make time-telling feel a little less like a clock-watching mystery and a little more like a language win? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable tell time in traditional chinese vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable tell time in traditional chinese flashcards.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Traditional Chinese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
Quick Quiz
Think you can read a Chinese clock without breaking a sweat? The quick quiz below will give you a friendly nudge toward the phrases that still need a second look.
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| Word / Phrase | Pinyin | Type | Meaning | Example | Example Pinyin | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一點 | yi dian | clock time | one o'clock | 我們一點開會。 | wo men yi dian kai hui | We have a meeting at one. |
| 七點一刻 | qi dian yi ke | clock time | seven fifteen | 我們七點一刻出門。 | wo men qi dian yi ke chu men | We leave at 7:15. |
| 三點 | san dian | clock time | three o'clock | 下午三點方便嗎？ | xia wu san dian fang bian ma | Is 3 p.m. convenient? |
| 上午 | shang wu | time period | morning before noon | 課在上午十點。 | ke zai shang wu shi dian | The class is at 10 in the morning. |
| 下午 | xia wu | time period | afternoon | 醫生下午兩點看診。 | yi sheng xia wu liang dian kan zhen | The doctor sees patients at 2 in the afternoon. |
| 中午 | zhong wu | time period | noon | 我們中午十二點見。 | wo men zhong wu shi er dian jian | Let's meet at noon. |
| 九點四十五分 | jiu dian si shi wu fen | clock time | nine forty-five | 考試九點四十五分開始。 | kao shi jiu dian si shi wu fen kai shi | The exam starts at 9:45. |
| 五點 | wu dian | clock time | five o'clock | 我五點下班。 | wo wu dian xia ban | I get off work at five. |
| 兩點 | liang dian | clock time | two o'clock | 車兩點到站。 | che liang dian dao zhan | The train arrives at two. |
| 八點三十分 | ba dian san shi fen | clock time | eight thirty | 火車八點三十分發車。 | huo che ba dian san shi fen fa che | The train leaves at 8:30. |
| 六點半 | liu dian ban | clock time | six thirty | 早餐六點半開始。 | zao can liu dian ban kai shi | Breakfast starts at 6:30. |
| 凌晨 | ling chen | time period | very early morning | 飛機凌晨四點起飛。 | fei ji ling chen si dian qi fei | The plane takes off at 4 a.m. |
| 分 | fen | time unit | minute | 現在是八點十分。 | xian zai shi ba dian shi fen | It is 8:10 now. |
| 刻 | ke | time unit | quarter of an hour | 三點一刻見。 | san dian yi ke jian | See you at 3:15. |
| 十點差五分 | shi dian cha wu fen | clock time | five to ten | 現在十點差五分。 | xian zai shi dian cha wu fen | It is five to ten now. |
| 半 | ban | time unit | half past | 我們六點半吃飯。 | wo men liu dian ban chi fan | We eat at 6:30. |
| 四點 | si dian | clock time | four o'clock | 四點下課。 | si dian xia ke | Class ends at four. |
| 大概 | da gai | time word | about or approximately | 我們大概七點到。 | wo men da gai qi dian dao | We will arrive at about seven. |
| 幾點 | ji dian | question | what time | 現在幾點？ | xian zai ji dian | What time is it now? |
| 整 | zheng | time word | exactly on the hour | 九點整開始。 | jiu dian zheng kai shi | It starts exactly at nine. |
| 早到 | zao dao | time word | to arrive early | 我習慣早到十分鐘。 | wo xi guan zao dao shi fen zhong | I usually arrive ten minutes early. |
| 晚上 | wan shang | time period | evening | 晚上八點有電影。 | wan shang ba dian you dian ying | There is a movie at 8 in the evening. |
| 準時 | zhun shi | time word | on time | 請準時到。 | qing zhun shi dao | Please arrive on time. |
| 遲到 | chi dao | time word | to be late | 他今天遲到了。 | ta jin tian chi dao le | He was late today. |
| 點 | dian | time unit | o'clock or hour | 三點了。 | san dian le | It is three o'clock. |
Free Tell Time in Traditional Chinese PDF Vocabulary List and Flashcards
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