How to Express Time and Duration in Chinese with Common Word Pairs
Whether you’re preparing for the HSK exam or simply aiming to improve your daily conversation skills, mastering Chinese time-related words is essential. Let’s explore three useful word pairs that will help you understand how to use Chinese time words in the right context, so you can speak more clearly and confidently in any situation.
01. Minutes in Chinese: 分 vs 分钟
When learning how to express time and duration in Chinese it’s important to understand the difference between 分 (fēn) and 分钟 (fēnzhōng). While both refer to minutes in Chinese their usage depends on the context.
- 分 (fēn) is used when you’re telling exact time in Chinese
- 分钟 (fēnzhōng) is used to describe how long something lasts or the duration of an activity
Mastering this small but essential distinction helps improve your spoken Chinese and avoids confusion during daily conversations.
EXAMPLES:
现在是五点二十分。
Xiànzài shì wǔ diǎn èrshí fēn.
It’s now 5:20.
我可以等你十分钟。
Wǒ kěyǐ děng nǐ shí fēnzhōng.
I can wait for you for ten minutes.
02. A Quarter / 15 Minutes in Chinese: 一刻 vs 一刻钟
If you’re learning how to tell time in Chinese or talk about duration in Mandarin understanding the difference between 一刻 (yī kè) and 一刻钟 (yī kè zhōng) is essential.
Both phrases mean 15 minutes in Chinese but they are used in different ways:
- 一刻 refers to a specific time such as 8:15
- 一刻钟 is used to describe how long something takes
Similarly,
- 三刻 (sān kè) means 45 minutes when telling time
- 三刻钟 (sān kè zhōng) expresses a 45-minute duration
For Chinese language beginners it’s also okay to say 十五分 (shíwǔ fēn) or 十五分钟 (shíwǔ fēnzhōng) to talk about fifteen minutes in Mandarin.
EXAMPLES:
我八点一刻去学校。
Wǒ bā diǎn yī kè qù xuéxiào.
I’m going to school at 8:15.
我需要一刻钟吃午饭。
Wǒ xūyào yī kè zhōng chī wǔfàn.
I need 15 minutes to have lunch.
3. Hours in Chinese: 点 vs 小时
One of the most common areas of confusion when learning how to tell time in Chinese is understanding the difference between 点 (diǎn) and 小时 (xiǎoshí).
- If you’re talking about a specific time on the clock like “6 o’clock” use 点
- If you’re referring to a duration of time like “eight hours” then use 小时
EXAMPLES:
我每天六点下班。
Wǒ měitiān liù diǎn xià bān.
I finish work at 6 o’clock every day.
我昨天工作了八个小时。
Wǒ zuótiān gōngzuò le bā gè xiǎoshí.
I worked for eight hours yesterday.
We hope these Chinese phrases and questions for time and duration will be useful and help you the next time you want to express time in Chinese.
If you’re interested in learning more useful Chinese expressions for daily conversations, check out our blog post on 5 Small Talk Phrases in Chinese. It’s a great way to expand your Chinese vocabulary and become more confident when speaking Mandarin in real-life situations.
