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Numbers and time

Numbers

NumberChinesePinyin
0🔊 líng
1🔊 
2🔊 二 / 两èr / liǎng
3🔊 sān
4🔊 
5🔊 
6🔊 liù
7🔊 
8🔊 
9🔊 jiǔ
10🔊 shí
100🔊 一百yì bǎi
1000🔊 一千yì qiān
10000🔊 一万yí wàn

Note: 两 (liǎng) is used before measure words; 二 (èr) for counting.

Building numbers

  • 11 = 🔊 十一 (shíyī)
  • 20 = 🔊 二十 (èrshí)
  • 25 = 🔊 二十五 (èrshíwǔ)
  • 99 = 🔊 九十九 (jiǔshíjiǔ)
  • 250 = 🔊 二百五十 (èrbǎi wǔshí)

Telling time

  • 🔊 几点了?(Jǐ diǎn le?) — What time is it?
  • 🔊 现在三点 (Xiànzài sān diǎn) — It's 3 o'clock now
TimeChinese
3:00🔊 三点
3:05🔊 三点五分 or 🔊 三点零五
3:15🔊 三点十五分 or 🔊 三点一刻
3:30🔊 三点三十分 or 🔊 三点半
3:45🔊 三点四十五分 or 🔊 差一刻四点

Days of the week

DayChinesePinyin
Monday🔊 星期一xīngqī yī
Tuesday🔊 星期二xīngqī èr
Wednesday🔊 星期三xīngqī sān
Thursday🔊 星期四xīngqī sì
Friday🔊 星期五xīngqī wǔ
Saturday🔊 星期六xīngqī liù
Sunday🔊 星期天/日xīngqī tiān/rì

Months

Months are simply "number + month (月)":

  • 🔊 一月 (yīyuè) — January
  • 🔊 二月 (èryuè) — February
  • 🔊 十二月 (shíèryuè) — December

Dates

Order: Year + Month + Day

  • 🔊 2024年3月15日 (èr líng èr sì nián sānyuè shíwǔ rì)

Time words

ChinesePinyinMeaning
🔊 今天jīntiāntoday
🔊 明天míngtiāntomorrow
🔊 昨天zuótiānyesterday
🔊 现在xiànzàinow
🔊 早上zǎoshangmorning
🔊 下午xiàwǔafternoon
🔊 晚上wǎnshangevening

Next: Everyday conversations →

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