Mandarin Minutes

Telling time in Mandarin is pretty straightforward. Just say the numbers, with the word “point” (as in “decimal”) in between the hour number and minute number(s), and sometimes with the word for “minute” at the end (note that nouns like minute in Mandarin are not counted, there is no plural form, it is always “fēn” no matter if one, two, or more). Sometimes you may hear the twenty four hour clock being used so that six pm is eighteen o’clock. And sometimes instead of using a twenty four clock method of telling time, you can say “six in the morning” and “six in the evening”. For more on time, see “What time is it?” and “Do you have time?“.

diǎn = 点 = point (decimal)

fēn = 分 = minute(s)

yī diǎn = 一点 ＝ one o’clock

yī diǎn èr shí wu (fēn) = 一点二十五分 ＝ one twenty-five (minutes)

shí bā diǎn =   = eighteen o’clock, or six pm

The numbers:

yī   一   one

èr   二   two (note: for telling time, the “counting two” is used: liǎng 两)

sān   三   three

sì   四   four

wǔ   五   five

liù   六   six

qī   七   seven

bā   八   eight

jiǔ   九   nine

shí   十   ten