how to say what time is it in chinese

2 min read 11-01-2025

Learning how to tell time in a new language can be tricky, but mastering the phrase "What time is it?" is a great first step to navigating daily life in China. This comprehensive guide will teach you several ways to ask for the time in Mandarin Chinese, along with helpful tips and cultural insights.

Different Ways to Ask "What Time Is It?"

Mandarin offers various ways to ask about the time, each with subtle nuances. Here are the most common:

1. 现在几点了？ (xiànzài jǐ diǎn le?) - The Most Common Way

This is the most straightforward and widely used way to ask "What time is it?" Let's break it down:

现在 (xiànzài): now
几 (jǐ): how many
点 (diǎn): o'clock (literally "point")
了 (le): a particle indicating completion or change of state. It adds a natural flow to the sentence.

This translates literally to "Now how many o'clock is it?". It's perfectly natural and understood in all contexts.

2. 几点钟？ (jǐ diǎn zhōng?) - A More Formal Option

This phrase is also very common and slightly more formal than the first option. The addition of 钟 (zhōng), meaning "clock" or "hour", makes it slightly more explicit.

3. 请问现在几点了？(qǐngwèn xiànzài jǐ diǎn le?) - Polite and Formal

Adding 请问 (qǐngwèn), meaning "excuse me" or "may I ask," makes the question extra polite. This is suitable for formal settings or when addressing strangers.

Understanding the Time in Chinese

Once you know how to ask, understanding the answer is equally important. Chinese time-telling follows a 24-hour clock, but you'll often hear it expressed in 12-hour format.

Telling the Time:

一点 (yī diǎn): 1 o'clock
两点 (liǎng diǎn): 2 o'clock
三点 (sān diǎn): 3 o'clock
...and so on up to 十二点 (shí'èr diǎn) - 12 o'clock.

For times after 12 noon, you'll hear the hours counted from 13 (十三点 - shísān diǎn) onwards. However, it's also common to use 上午 (shàngwǔ) - morning and 下午 (xiàwǔ) - afternoon to specify AM or PM.

For minutes, use 分 (fēn) – minute. For example:

一点十五分 (yī diǎn shíwǔ fēn): 1:15
两点三十分 (liǎng diǎn sān shí fēn): 2:30
三点四十五分 (sān diǎn sì shí wǔ fēn): 3:45

Example Conversation:

You: 现在几点了？(xiànzài jǐ diǎn le?) - What time is it?

Person: 现在两点半了。(xiànzài liǎng diǎn bàn le) - It's 2:30 now. (半 - bàn means half)

Beyond the Basics: More Ways to Ask About Time

What time does [something] start/end? This requires adding the activity. For example, to ask what time a movie starts, you would say: 电影几点开始？(diànyǐng jǐ diǎn kāishǐ?)
Is it almost [time]? For this, you might use 快...了吗？(kuài...le ma?) - For example, 快三点了吗？(kuài sān diǎn le ma?) - Is it almost 3 o'clock?

Practice Makes Perfect

The best way to learn is through practice. Try asking the time in Chinese to native speakers (online language partners are a great resource!). Don't be afraid to make mistakes – it's all part of the learning process. With a bit of effort, you'll be telling time in Mandarin like a pro!

Resources for Learning More

Pleco: A fantastic Chinese-English dictionary app.
HelloChinese: A popular language-learning app.
Memrise: Another great app for vocabulary building.

Mastering the art of asking and telling the time is a rewarding step in learning Chinese. So, go ahead, practice, and impress your friends with your newfound linguistic skills!