Talking about clock time and calendar timeClock time Talking about hours There are two Mandarin words for hour #'34/##5H zhOngtou and /\iif//)\#F xioshi. Speakers in different regions of China prefer one or the other word, but the meanings are identical. Hours are counted with the classifier */(f ge: one hour — Pik /— (a or IN ABE yi ge zhongtou yi ge xidoshi two hours Fe Paka a or AS ENS ling gé zhongtou ling ge xidoshi three hours. EP Ft or Eve se san ge zhongtéu san ge xiioshi To say ‘half an hour,’ place “# ban before the classifier “*/{i ge. SEAS or SEVIS / EB ban gé zhongtou ban ge xidoshi half an hour half an hour To indicate one or more hours and a half, place -¢ ban after the classifier “*/14 ge. EBS ER or 48K AE NE yi ge ban zhongt6u yi ge ban xisoshi one and a half hours one and a half hours PATE SS or DATE INS a BE I ling gé ban zhongtou lidng gé ban xidoshi two and a half hours two and a half hoursTalking about minutes and seconds The word for minute is 4+ fén. The word for second is £¥ miao. 4} fén and £ miio are classifiers and are directly preceded by a number. A phrase indicating the number of minutes or seconds may optionally end with the noun ##/%% zhong ‘clock.’ — oh BES) PASS BH) (G) or =A (B)/ =) yi fen (zhong) liang fén (zhong) ér fen (zhong) one minute two minutes two minutes — BY B/S) WARD Bh) / PES Ba) or —BGh/—B a) yi miao (zhong) lidng mido (zhong) ér mido (zhong) one second two seconds two seconds To indicate half a minute or half a second, place *# ban before the word for minute or second. “at BED ban fen ban mido half an hour half a secondTo indicate one or more minutes or seconds and a half, place * ban immediately after the word for minute/second. Minutes yi fén ban one and a half minutes PASE Mist liéng fen ban two and a half minutes Seconds yi mido ban one and a half seconds PRED RE liing mio ban two and a half secondsTelling time o’clock: time on the hour o'clock time is expressed as follows. ##!/Z zhong is optional and is often not used. The ‘(X) o’clock’ phrase literally means ‘(X) dots of the clock.’ 1 o'clock 2 o'clock 3 o'clock 4 o'clock 5 o'clock 6 o'clock i Bh — Ba yi dian zhong A/a a St liang dian zhong or Soni th/— iat ér dian zhong Emth/= et san dian zhong Po e/a si dian zhong Fir Bh / Fiat wu dian zhong Pa B/S lia didn zhong 7 o'clock 8 o'clock 9 o'clock 10 o’clock 11 o’clock 12 o'clock Et / CRE qi dian zhong DPR SE ba dian zhong Fur BH/ LBS jit dian zhong hak BR/ St shi dian zhong BR) — Sat shi’yi dian zhong Bit Bt shi’ér dian zhongReciting time as digital time The most common way to tell time is to say it the way it appears on a digital clock. TALKING ABOUT CLOCK TIME AND CALENDAR TIME 3:50 +5} (BH) +53 (SH) san dian wd shi fén (zhong) 4:27 pa — TB) t+ 53 ($i) si didn ér shi qi fén (zhong) Reciting time with ¥ ling ‘zero’ When time is recited as digial time, if the number of minutes is smaller than ten, minutes may optionally begin with ¥ ling ‘zero.’ ¥ ling ‘zero’ is also written as O. 2:02 Mimo Pam —5F liing dian ling ér fen To indicate half past the hour, use *# ban. 6:30 TN wih EE lid dian ban te teThe phrases 2!) yi ké ‘one quarter’ and =%! san ké ‘three quarters’ can be used to express a quarter after or a quarter to and 45 minutes after the hour. 7:15 rm —Aeh) “cai — 2 Gt) qi dian yi ké (zhong) 7:45, \ (Sit) qi dian san ké (zhong)Telling time specifying ‘minutes to’ and ‘minutes past’ the hour 31/34 gud ‘pass’ introduces minutes past the hour. When reciting time with 31/i4 gud, the order of information is as follows. ##!/i zhong is optional and is often omitted. x hour past x minutes x R/S dian j/i9 gue x 4 fen ${i/ zhong 3:10 = it + (BR) = MTS a) san didn gud shi fén (zhong) tat (BR) 5d Bi) si dian gud ér shi qi fen (zhong) 7:15 rict—2l (PH) “GRR — Al) qi din gud yi ké (zhong) 7:45 tat =Z1e “GR = 2) Ge) qi dian gud san ké (zhong)321/58 gud cannot be used with + ban half. ¥= cha ‘lack’ introduces minutes before the hour. # cha + minutes can occur either before or after the hour phrase, as follows. #{/&i zhong is optional and is often omitted. Pattern 1 x AUB dian cha x4} fen (#4/$ zhong) (lit. ‘x o’clock lacking x minutes’) 6:50 me Ta FH) Hie +a) qi dian cha shifén (zhong) 7:45 W\ iil FH) J\E3E—Fl (BD) ba din cha yi ke (zhong)Pattern 2 cha x4} fen x pi/Mi diin (#1/f8i zhong) (lit. ‘lacking x minutes, x o'clock’) 650 w+ ACs) Beta ORE GH) cha shifén qi didn (zhong) 7:45 FAV ABP) i — 2/8 SB) cha yi ké ba din (zhong)Indicating a.m. and p.m. In Mandarin, instead of the two-way distinction between a.m. and p.m., time is categorized as follows: morning (the early hours, approximately 6-8 or 9 a.m.) before noon (approximately 8 or 9 a.m. until noon) midday (12 noon or the time around noon.) afternoon (approximately 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.) evening (beginning approximately 6 p.m.) midnight - middle of the night (approximately midnight to 3 a.m.) 44_b z4oshang or AR z4ochén ’F shangwit he zhongwit FF xiawit 1. wanshang “47% ban yéThese expressions occur at the beginning of the clock time phrase: 3 o'clock in the afternoon (3 p.m.) REARCE EEE zdoshang lit dian ban 6:30 in the morning (6:30 a.m.) Lett ae shangwii shi dian 10 in the morning (10 a.m.) Bek w=Al Bek =-Al wanshang qi didn sanké 7:45 in the evening (7:45 p.m.) RCP Sak HAC ban yé liang dian 2 o'clock in the morningThe location of clock time phrases in the sentence Clock time, like all phrases that indicate the time when a situation takes place, occurs at the beginning of the predicate, right after the subject. HHA EL ri BMI ° HEIR AE MGI © Ta méitian zhOngwii shi’ér dian zhong chi fan. He eats every day around 12:00 noon. The position of the clock time phrase in the sentence is the same whether the sentence is a statement or a question. Q HAMMAR? A: BUNA ANB © BR HRA? Shénme shihou chi wanfan? When will we have dinner? BRT SHR TL? BOA ee ie 5? ‘Wémen shénme shihou jian? When shall we meet? BUNA BENE © Women lit dian chi wanfan. We will eat dinner at 6:00. : BUT LEAL © BAMPAA EF AUR SL © Wodmen mingtian shangwit jitt dian jian. We will meet at 9:00 tomorrow morning.Asking about time To ask for the present hour of the day, say: FRED Le BH? BATE MAS? Xianzai ji dian zhong? What time (hour) is it now? More general questions about the present time are the following: SAE CREAT ZR? or PAE) ZI Tl? BEE) BAR? Sate (FE) LST? Xianzai (shi) shénme shihou? Xianzai (shi) shénme shijian? What time is it now? What time is it now?Calendar time China uses two different calendar systems. The Western calendar, called [H/i/B% y4ngli, is used in nearly all official and public contexts, such as school, business, publishing, civil administration, military affairs, and politics. The PAG/E&/% yinli (lunar calendar), sometimes called #¢/77/#2# néngli (agricultural calendar), is used to mark birthdays, and traditional Chinese holidays such as the Chinese New Year, the Dragon Festival, the Mid-Autumn festival, etc. Until the nineteenth century, the lunar calendar was the primary calendar. Nowadays, the Western calendar is more widely used than the lunar calendar, especially in urban China.Years Counting years and asking about the number of years To count years, precede the word 4F nian ‘year’ by a number. No additional classifier occurs between the number and the word for year. one year —& yi nian two years iE liang nian three years Sie san nian To ask how many years, say: SUE 2/ BBE? ji nian? how many years? or BE? dudshdo nidn? how many years?Referring to years this year next year two years from now three years from now four years from now last year the year before last three years ago four years ago Ate aE ee ees KIGSE/ AME: DEE Ds OEE te BE ae ate pase bat jinni4n mingnian hounian da hounian si nian yihou qunian giannian da qiannian si nian yiqianReciting years To recite a year, read the year as a series of single numbers followed by 4f nian: 2004 cIeege ér ling ling si nian 1976 ube yi jit qi lia nian To indicate Bc and ap, say: ATG gongyudn or A7i/2F gongli, av 47H gongyudngian or ff qian sc BVTG 2002 *F gongyuan 2002 nian 2002 aD AN7GHH 146 gongyuandidn 146 nian 146 Bc In Taiwan, years are counted from the founding of the Republic of China in 1911: REQ 47 4F Mingu6é 47 nian = 1958 EREi 93 4 Mingué 93 nian = 2004Asking about years To ask about a year say: BE? néi nian? or na nidn? which year? Sp REBAR P LEK 2 PR REUBEN? Ni shi na nian bi yé de? In what year did you graduate? BEARS ETN? FEMA re BE EN? Zhége daxué shi n4 nian jianli de? In what year was this university established?Months AA yué is the word for month and it is also part of the name of the months. When months are counted or referred to in expressions such as ‘one month,’ ‘this month,’ or ‘next month,’ the classifier “+/{# gé occurs between the specifier and/or number and § yué ‘month.’ The names of the months do not include a classifier.Counting months and asking about the number of months To count months, precede the word A yué ‘month’ by a number and the classifier TH ge: one month —t A/a yi gé yue two months Rit A/a A liang gé yue three months =¢*A/=l4A san gé yue To ask how many months, say: ILA? or SYA? SA? ji ge yue? dudshao yué? how many months? how many months? ARE ILTA? —tE ATA? Yi nian you ji gé yué? One year has how many months? (How many months are there in a year?) UBB TBDAT? MEMBTSYAT? Ni yijing xué le duGshdo yué le? How many months have you studied already?Referring to months with respect to ‘now’ To refer to the months, use these expressions: this month 3k fall A zhége yué next month FRAMAA xia gé yué last month -A*A/ HMA shang gé yuéThe names of the months January February March April May June July August September October November December yirut éryué sanyué siyué wiiyué lityué qiyué bayué jitiyue shiyué shiyi yué shi’éryué To ask which month it is, say JL? #8A? ji yué? ‘which month?’ Tit JL AH? EBA? Ni shi ji yué shéng de? In which month were you born?Weeks Mandarin has two words for week: #L¥#/#4#¥ libai and #29) xingqi. 4LF¥/20FE libai was originally associated with religious services, but no longer has religious connotations. Different regions of China have different preferences in the choice of the word for week. 42} xingqf is the word used in calendars, newspapers, and formal documents. Counting weeks and asking about the number of weeks To count weeks use the classifier 7*/{ ge: one week — t/a yi gé xingqt two weeks PAT S/T liing gé xingqi three weeks St 88/24 san gé xingqi To ask how many weeks, say: or or or — LIE aE yi gé libai PASSE liang gé libai EMA = eat san gé libai TUS 52/581 I? or JAMIE? BER? ji gé xingqi? ji gé libai? how many weeks? how many weeks?Referring to weeks and weekends with respect to ‘now’ Expressions that refer to weeks: this week eT SA next week FRESE Pa ES last week MBSE / ES Expressions that refer to weekends: this weekend BT IAN / FES next weekend RNA PaaS last weekend LANA EBA zhége xingqi xia gé xingqi shang gé xingqi zhége zh6umd xia gé zhoumd shang gé zhoumdDays Counting days and asking about the number of days To count days, put the number right before the word for day. No additional classifier is used: one day Kk yi tian two days RIMR liang tian three days ER san tian To ask about the number of days, say: TUR? BR? ji tian? how many days? (small number expected) BPR? dudshio tian? how many days? Referring to days of the week and asking about days of the week There are two sets of words for the days of the week. One is based on the word #L##/ + libai and the other is based on the word #3 xingqi. In both sets, the names ofthe days of the week from Monday to Saturday include a number. Pay attention to the words for Sunday. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday FLFER/MFER libai tian or 4LAF A/a libai ri ALAR FR libai yi ALARA libai ér ALAS / FS libai san LA eA libai si LA E/E libai wit FLEA FEN libai lid EK xingqi tian or #00 xingqi ri Bu xingqi yi Bue xingqi ér B= xIngqi san Hao xingqi si HL. xingqi wii BN xingqi lidTo say ‘last Tuesday,’ say: L(Y 8 = or KCN 4ALF EC) 3301 or (8) aE shang (g@) xinggi ér or shang (gé) libai ér To say ‘next Saturday,’ say: FDS or FD ALIEN FUR) ESN or FUE)BFEZN xia (gé) xingqi lid or xia (gé) libai lid. To ask about days of the week, say: HL? or FULFIL? EW? TEFERE? xingqi ji? Tibai ji? what day of the week? what day of the week? SRE) BI? SRE) BIR? Jintian (shi) xingqi ji? What day of the week is it today? WARGE ALA? TAR GEER? Mingtian (shi) libai ji? What day of the week is it tomorrow?Referring to days before and after today AMR BR MER SR HAR IBRIBR KIBRIKER da qiantian qiantian zudtian jintian mingtian houtian da houtian three days ago the day before yesterday yesterday today tomorrow the day after tomorrow three days from nowReferring to the date of the month (the first, second, third of the month, etc.) There are two words for date that are used when referring to the date of the month, 45/3 hao and 4 ri. & ri is more formal than +/#= hao and is used in calendars and other written documents. To indicate the date, put the number directly before 5 ri or 5/3 hao: the Sth (of the month) ESE or HA wit hao wii ri the 22nd (of the month) 2428 or =+=48 Stl érshi’ér hao érshi’ér ri To ask about the date, say: JU? or JUBA? BE? 4H? ji hao? jin? what is the date? what is the date? SRLS? or SRILA ILS? SRER? SRA BH? Jintian ji hao? Jintian ji yué ji hao? What is today’s date? What is today’s date? (What is today’s month and date?)Reciting complete days and asking about dates In Mandarin, complete dates are presented from the largest unit of time to the smallest unit of time as follows: year + month + date RAVE CA? S+—-A yi jiti jit’ ba nian, qiyué, sanshi yi ri July 31, 1998 xSSSE—A-A ér ling ling ling nian yi yué yi ri January 1, 2000 AEP AES AEF ABR yi jit ba ér nian shi yué wit hao October 5, 1982To ask about complete dates, say: REL ALA? or GREE JL AL? RE BS A BEA? BERS A BSE? na nian ji yué ji ri? na nian ji yué ji hao? which year which month which date which year which month which date KLURME LAU Ey? LURE 8 A BOE AE Ni shi na nian ji yué ii hao shéng de? You were born in which year, which month, which date? (When were you born?) ‘HAT ERE LL a? ‘HEAP RSE BS A BS A? Tamen shi na nian ji yué ji ri jiéhiin de? In which year, which month, and on which date were they married? (When were they married?)Talking about semesters 243/285 xuéqi means a semester (of a school year). Counting semesters To count semesters, put the classifier ~/(f gé after the number and before the word “231/423 xuéqi semester. one semester — yi gé xuéqi two semesters PAA liang gé xuéqi three semesters = hH/ = san gé xuéqi Referring to semesters “38/58 xuéqi are referred to in the same way as weeks, weekends, and months. this semester i ie zhége xuéqi next semester EER TB xia gé xuéqi last semester LAB A shang gé xuéqi