Expression of Time in Mandarin Chinese

In Mandarin Chinese, time can be expressed using various components such as hours, minutes, and specific time-related words.

1. Hours and Minutes:

Time is often expressed using the 24-hour clock format.

• 现在是下午三点二十分。(Xiànzài shì xiàwǔ sān diǎn èrshí fēn.) - It's 3:20 PM now.
• 晚上九点。(Wǎnshàng jiǔ diǎn.) - 9:00 PM in the evening.

2. Specific Time-related Words:

Words like "今天" (jīntiān - today), "昨天" (zuótiān - yesterday), "明天" (míngtiān - tomorrow) are used to refer to specific days.

• 今天是星期五。(Jīntiān shì xīngqīwǔ.) - Today is Friday.
• 明天有会议。(Míngtiān yǒu huìyì.) - There's a meeting tomorrow.

3. Duration:

Duration can be expressed using "多长时间" (duō cháng shíjiān - how long) followed by the verb.

• 我等了两个小时。(Wǒ děngle liǎng gè xiǎoshí.) - I waited for two hours.
• 她学了一年汉语。(Tā xuéle yī nián hànyǔ.) - She studied Chinese for one year.