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[[File:Time chinese.jpg|thumb]] | [[File:Time chinese.jpg|thumb]] | ||
<div | <div style="font-size:250%;">How to express time and duration in Chinese</div> | ||
Hello everybody! | |||
In today's lesson, we will teach you how to express time and duration in Chinese. | |||
Feel free to edit this wiki page, if you think it can be improved. | |||
==The time== | ==The time== | ||
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<blockquote>03:00</blockquote> | <blockquote>03:00</blockquote> | ||
<!--SPLIT--> | <!--SPLIT--> | ||
===<span class="notranslate">鐘/钟 (zhōng)</span>=== | ===<span class="notranslate">鐘/钟 (zhōng)</span>=== | ||
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* <span class="notranslate">七時。/七时。 (Qī shí.)</span> | * <span class="notranslate">七時。/七时。 (Qī shí.)</span> | ||
<blockquote>7 o'clock.</blockquote> | <blockquote>7 o'clock.</blockquote> | ||
===<span class="notranslate">整 (zhěng)</span>=== | ===<span class="notranslate">整 (zhěng)</span>=== | ||
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* <span class="notranslate">七點整。/七点整。 (Qī diǎn zhěng.)</span> | * <span class="notranslate">七點整。/七点整。 (Qī diǎn zhěng.)</span> | ||
<blockquote>7 o'clock sharp.</blockquote> | <blockquote>7 o'clock sharp.</blockquote> | ||
<!--SPLIT--> | |||
===Minutes and seconds: <span class="notranslate">分 (fēn)</span> and <span class="notranslate">秒 (miǎo)</span>=== | ===Minutes and seconds: <span class="notranslate">分 (fēn)</span> and <span class="notranslate">秒 (miǎo)</span>=== | ||
The minutes are built with <span class="notranslate">分 (fēn)</span>; the seconds are built with <span class="notranslate">秒 (miǎo)</span>. | The minutes are built with <span class="notranslate">分 (fēn)</span>; the seconds are built with <span class="notranslate">秒 (miǎo)</span>. | ||
* <span class="notranslate">八點五分二十秒。/八点五分二十秒。 (Bā diǎn wǔ fēn èrshí miǎo.)</span> | * <span class="notranslate">八點五分二十秒。/八点五分二十秒。 (Bā diǎn wǔ fēn 'èrshí miǎo.)</span> | ||
<blockquote><span class="notranslate">08:05:20.</span></blockquote> | <blockquote><span class="notranslate">08:05:20.</span></blockquote> | ||
===<span class="notranslate">半 (bàn)</span> and <span class="notranslate">一刻 (yí kè)</span>=== | ===<span class="notranslate">半 (bàn)</span> and <span class="notranslate">一刻 (yí kè)</span>=== | ||
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When a syllable that begins with a vowel (zero initial [零聲母/零声母, líng shēngmǔ]), like <span class="notranslate">二 (èr)</span>, is preceded by another syllable, it must be indicated by an apostrophe: <span class="notranslate">shí'èr 十二</span>, <span class="notranslate">Tiān'ānmén 天安門/天安门</span>, etc. | When a syllable that begins with a vowel (zero initial [零聲母/零声母, líng shēngmǔ]), like <span class="notranslate">二 (èr)</span>, is preceded by another syllable, it must be indicated by an apostrophe: <span class="notranslate">shí'èr 十二</span>, <span class="notranslate">Tiān'ānmén 天安門/天安门</span>, etc. | ||
<!--SPLIT--> | <!--SPLIT--> | ||
===Morning and Afternoon: <span class="notranslate">上午 (shàngwǔ)</span> and <span class="notranslate">下午 (xiàwǔ)</span>=== | ===Morning and Afternoon: <span class="notranslate">上午 (shàngwǔ)</span> and <span class="notranslate">下午 (xiàwǔ)</span>=== | ||
In Chinese, we can say <span class="notranslate">13:00 十三點/十三点 (shísān diǎn)</span>, <span class="notranslate">14:00 十四點/十四点 (shísì diǎn)</span>. But it is preferred to say 2 o'clock in the afternoon, 9 o'clock in the morning, etc. | In Chinese, we can say <span class="notranslate">13:00 十三點/十三点 (shísān diǎn)</span>, <span class="notranslate">14:00 十四點/十四点 (shísì diǎn)</span>. But it is preferred to say 2 o'clock in the afternoon, 9 o'clock in the morning, etc. | ||
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* <span class="notranslate">下午六點鐘。/下午六点钟。 (Xiàwǔ liù diǎn zhōng.)</span> | * <span class="notranslate">下午六點鐘。/下午六点钟。 (Xiàwǔ liù diǎn zhōng.)</span> | ||
<blockquote>6 o'clock pm.</blockquote> | <blockquote>6 o'clock pm.</blockquote> | ||
<!--SPLIT--> | |||
===What time is it?=== | ===What time is it?=== | ||
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* <span class="notranslate">現在幾點了？/现在几点了? (Xiànzài jǐ diǎn le?)</span> | * <span class="notranslate">現在幾點了？/现在几点了? (Xiànzài jǐ diǎn le?)</span> | ||
<blockquote>What time is it now?</blockquote> | <blockquote>What time is it now?</blockquote> | ||
We can remove the <span class="notranslate">了 (le)</span> to give less force in the sense of "now": | We can remove the <span class="notranslate">了 (le)</span> to give less force in the sense of "now": | ||
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* <span class="notranslate">現在三點了。/现在三点了。 (Xiànzài sān diǎn le.)</span> | * <span class="notranslate">現在三點了。/现在三点了。 (Xiànzài sān diǎn le.)</span> | ||
<blockquote>It's three o'clock now.</blockquote> | <blockquote>It's three o'clock now.</blockquote> | ||
<!--SPLIT--> | <!--SPLIT--> | ||
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<blockquote>I'm going home tomorrow morning.</blockquote> | <blockquote>I'm going home tomorrow morning.</blockquote> | ||
<!--SPLIT--> | <!--SPLIT--> | ||
===Time and space=== | ===Time and space=== | ||
If both the "circumstantial complement of place" and "the circumstantial complement of time" are found in the same sentence, which one comes first? | If both the "circumstantial complement of place" and "the circumstantial complement of time" are found in the same sentence, which one comes first? | ||
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Unlike the punctual time, the duration is not a circumstantial complement (which is placed before the verb), but a verbal complement which is placed after the verb: | Unlike the punctual time, the duration is not a circumstantial complement (which is placed before the verb), but a verbal complement which is placed after the verb: | ||
*<span class="notranslate">我學漢語兩年。/我学汉语两年。 (Wǒ xué hànyǔ liǎng nián.) </span> | *<span class="notranslate">我學漢語兩年。/我学汉语两年。 (Wǒ xué hànyǔ liǎng nián.) </span> | ||
<blockquote>I | <blockquote>I learned two years of Chinese.</blockquote> | ||
===Use of <span class="notranslate">了 (le)</span>=== | ===Use of <span class="notranslate">了 (le)</span>=== | ||
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#In the first sentence, the action does not continue in the present. I studied Chinese 2 years in the past but I am not studying anymore. | #In the first sentence, the action does not continue in the present. I studied Chinese 2 years in the past but I am not studying anymore. | ||
#In the second sentence, the action continues to occur now. I am still studying Chinese now. | #In the second sentence, the action continues to occur now. I am still studying Chinese now. | ||
===Place of the direct object=== | ===Place of the direct object=== | ||
As the verbal complement is placed after the verb, the place of the direct object can vary: | As the verbal complement is placed after the verb, the place of the direct object can vary: | ||
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*<span class="notranslate">我學兩年漢語了。/我学两年汉语了。 (Wǒ xué liǎng nián hànyǔ le.)</span> | *<span class="notranslate">我學兩年漢語了。/我学两年汉语了。 (Wǒ xué liǎng nián hànyǔ le.)</span> | ||
<blockquote>I have been learning Chinese for two years.</blockquote> | <blockquote>I have been learning Chinese for two years.</blockquote> | ||
<!--SPLIT--> | |||
But the use of the spoken language is more flexible and the duration can be put behind the direct object: | But the use of the spoken language is more flexible and the duration can be put behind the direct object: | ||
*<span class="notranslate">我學漢語兩年了。/我学汉语两年了。 (Wǒ xué hànyǔ liǎng nián le.)</span> | *<span class="notranslate">我學漢語兩年了。/我学汉语两年了。 (Wǒ xué hànyǔ liǎng nián le.)</span> | ||
<blockquote>I have been learning Chinese for two years.</blockquote> | <blockquote>I have been learning Chinese for two years.</blockquote> | ||
<!--SPLIT--> | |||
We must therefore remember these two sentences that are often used: | We must therefore remember these two sentences that are often used: | ||
*<span class="notranslate">你學漢語幾年了？/你学汉语几年了？ (Nǐ xué hànyǔ jǐ nián le.) </span> | *<span class="notranslate">你學漢語幾年了？/你学汉语几年了？ (Nǐ xué hànyǔ jǐ nián le.) </span> | ||
<blockquote>How many years have you been learning Chinese?</blockquote> | <blockquote>How many years have you been learning Chinese?</blockquote> | ||
*<span class="notranslate">我學漢語三年了。/我学汉语三年了。 (Wǒ xué hànyǔ sān nián le.) </span> | *<span class="notranslate">我學漢語三年了。/我学汉语三年了。 (Wǒ xué hànyǔ sān nián le.) </span> | ||
<blockquote>I have been learning Chinese for three years.</blockquote> | <blockquote>I have been learning Chinese for three years.</blockquote> | ||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
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|title=How to express time in Chinese | |title=How to express time in Chinese | ||
|keywords=time, punctual, duration, now, today, tomorrow, yesterday, years, days | |keywords=time, punctual, duration, now, today, tomorrow, yesterday, years, days | ||
|description=In this lesson we will learn how to express time and duration in Chinese. Grammar rules and examples. | |description=In this lesson we will learn how to express time and duration in Chinese. Grammar rules and examples. Good learning ! | ||
|og:image=https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/images/thumb/9/94/Time_chinese.jpg/800px-Time_chinese.jpg | |og:image=https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/images/thumb/9/94/Time_chinese.jpg/800px-Time_chinese.jpg | ||
}} | }} | ||