Time Keeping
Learning to express time, dates, and related concepts is fundamental in Chinese. This article explores essential vocabulary and phrases to help you master this topic.
This page is incomplete: Low-quality article.Time Vocabulary
Key terms related to time in Mandarin:
| 時間 | shí jiān | Time | Refers to time in general. |
| 分钟 | fēn zhōng | Minute | A unit of time measurement. |
| 小时 | xiǎo shí | Hour | Used to describe hours. |
| 早上 | zǎo shàng | Morning | Refers to the time before noon. |
| 下午 | xià wǔ | Afternoon | Refers to the time after noon. |
| 晚上 | wǎn shàng | Evening | Refers to the time after sunset. |
Days and Weeks
Vocabulary for days of the week and related terms:
| 星期一 | xīng qī yī | Monday | The first day of the work week. |
| 星期二 | xīng qī èr | Tuesday | The second day of the work week. |
| 星期三 | xīng qī sān | Wednesday | The middle of the work week. |
| 星期四 | xīng qī sì | Thursday | The fourth day of the work week. |
| 星期五 | xīng qī wǔ | Friday | The last day of the work week. |
| 星期六 | xīng qī liù | Saturday | The first day of the weekend. |
| 星期日 | xīng qī rì | Sunday | The second day of the weekend. |
Months and Years
Chinese terms for months and years:
| 一月 | yī yuè | January | The first month of the year. |
| 二月 | èr yuè | February | The second month of the year. |
| 三月 | sān yuè | March | The third month of the year. |
| 四月 | sì yuè | April | The fourth month of the year. |
| 十二月 | shí èr yuè | December | The twelfth and final month of the year. |
| 年 | nián | Year | Refers to a calendar year. |
Talking About Dates
Essential phrases for discussing dates:
| 今天是几月几号？ | jīn tiān shì jǐ yuè jǐ hào? | What date is it today? | Asking for today’s date. |
| 今天是十月十八号。 | jīn tiān shì shí yuè shí bā hào. | Today is October 18th. | Giving today’s date. |
| 你的生日是哪一天？ | nǐ de shēng rì shì nǎ yì tiān? | When is your birthday? | Asking about someone’s birthday. |
| 我的生日是十二月二十五号。 | wǒ de shēng rì shì shí èr yuè èr shí wǔ hào. | My birthday is December 25th. | Talking about your birthday. |
Time-Related Idioms
Enrich your vocabulary with these time-related idioms:
| 一刻千金 | yī kè qiān jīn | Every moment is precious | Emphasizes the value of time. |
| 日新月异 | rì xīn yuè yì | Daily renewal, monthly change | Refers to rapid improvement or change. |
| 岁月如梭 | suì yuè rú suō | Time flies like a shuttle | Describes how quickly time passes. |