Hours use 点 (diǎn): 三点 = 3:00. Minutes use 分 (fēn): 三点十分 = 3:10. Half past is 半 (bàn): 三点半 = 3:30. Ask the time with 现在几点？ (xiànzài jǐ diǎn?). One trap: 2:00 is 两点 (liǎng diǎn), never 二点.
If you know Chinese numbers, you already know 90% of telling time — the system is just numbers plus three anchor characters. This is the vocabulary you’ll use to make plans, catch trains and set meeting times, so let’s make it automatic.
Asking the time
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 现在几点？ | xiànzài jǐ diǎn? | What time is it (now)? |
| 你几点上班？ | nǐ jǐ diǎn shàngbān? | What time do you start work? |
| 我们几点见面？ | wǒmen jǐ diǎn jiànmiàn? | What time shall we meet? |
几 (jǐ, “how many”) is the question word for small numbers — perfect for a 12-hour clock.
The hours: 点
Number + 点 (diǎn). That’s it.
| Time | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | 一点 | yī diǎn |
| 2:00 | 两点 | liǎng diǎn |
| 5:00 | 五点 | wǔ diǎn |
| 10:00 | 十点 | shí diǎn |
| 12:00 | 十二点 | shí'èr diǎn |
The 两点 rule: when counting things — hours included — “two” is 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr). 两点 = 2:00. Say 二点 and you’ll be understood, but it instantly marks you as a beginner.
Minutes: 分, 半, 刻 and 差
| Time | Chinese | Pinyin | Literally |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3:10 | 三点十分 | sān diǎn shí fēn | 3 o’clock 10 minutes |
| 3:05 | 三点零五分 | sān diǎn líng wǔ fēn | 3 o’clock zero-five |
| 3:30 | 三点半 | sān diǎn bàn | 3 and a half |
| 3:15 | 三点一刻 | sān diǎn yí kè | 3 and one quarter |
| 3:45 | 三点三刻 | sān diǎn sān kè | 3 and three quarters |
| 2:55 | 差五分三点 | chà wǔ fēn sān diǎn | lacking 5 minutes to 3 |
Notes that save you confusion: minutes under ten insert 零 (líng, zero) — 3:05 is “three-oh-five,” just like English. 刻 (kè, quarter) is common but optional — 三点十五分 works fine. And 差 (chà, “to lack”) builds “five to three,” useful for understanding natives even if you never use it yourself.
AM and PM: the day-period words
Chinese uses a 12-hour clock in speech, with the period of day stated before the time — the reverse of English order.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Covers roughly |
|---|---|---|
| 早上 | zǎoshang | early morning (6–9) |
| 上午 | shàngwǔ | morning (9–12) |
| 中午 | zhōngwǔ | noon (12–1) |
| 下午 | xiàwǔ | afternoon (1–6) |
| 晚上 | wǎnshang | evening/night (6–12) |
明天下午两点半
míngtiān xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn bàn
“tomorrow at 2:30 PM” — big to small: day → period → hour → minutes
That big-to-small order is the same logic as Chinese dates — year before month, month before day, day period before hour. One principle, whole calendar.
Telling time in three rules
- Hours: number + 点; 2:00 is 两点, not 二点.
- Minutes: + 分; half past = 半; quarter = 刻.
- AM/PM: say the day period first — 下午三点, “afternoon 3 o’clock.”
Drill it until it’s automatic
Reading about 两点半 is one thing — hearing it at native speed is another. Hanzijo pairs every time word with native audio and color-coded tones, then uses SRS to bring them back right before you’d forget, across the complete HSK 1–9 path with widgets for effortless daily review.
Learn Chinese with Hanzijo — FreeFrequently asked questions
Do Chinese speakers use the 24-hour clock?
In writing — train tickets, schedules, official notices — yes (14:30). In speech, almost never: people say 下午两点半 rather than “fourteen thirty.”
What’s the difference between 点 and 小时?
点 names a clock time (3 o’clock); 小时 (xiǎoshí) measures duration (three hours = 三个小时). “At 3” vs. “for 3 hours.”
How do I say “half an hour”?
半个小时 (bàn ge xiǎoshí) — “half a (measure word) hour.” An hour and a half is 一个半小时.
Is 钟 needed, as in 五点钟?
钟 (zhōng, “clock”) is optional after whole hours: 五点钟 = 五点. You’ll hear both; the short form is more common in conversation.