How to Tell the Time in Mandarin （几点了？）

Mandarin uses 两 liǎng instead of 二 èr before most measure words and counters, including 点 for the hour. So 2 o’clock is 两点 liǎng diǎn. Minutes, however, keep 二 — 2:20 is 两点二十分 (liǎng diǎn èrshí fēn).

For clear numbers you can drop it in casual speech (三点二十 for 3:20), but including 分 is standard and always correct. For single-digit minutes, keep 零 líng: 3:05 is 三点零五分. Note that 分钟 fēnzhōng is different — it means a duration of minutes, not a point on the clock.

点 diǎn is the everyday spoken word for the hour. 时 shí is more formal and written — you’ll see it on timetables and official notices, often with the 24-hour clock: 二十时 = 20:00. In conversation, stick with 点.

A quarter is 一刻 yí kè (15 minutes). Quarter past three is 三点一刻. For “quarter to”, use 差 chà (“lacking”): quarter to eight is 差一刻八点 (chà yí kè bā diǎn). You can also just say the minutes: 7:45 is 七点四十五分.

Both are used. Daily conversation prefers the 12-hour clock with a time-of-day word (晚上八点 = 8 pm). Transport schedules, TV listings and official documents use the 24-hour clock (二十点 / 二十时 = 20:00). Learning the spoken 12-hour system first will serve you in almost every real conversation.

Use 从 cóng (from) and 到 dào (to): 从九点到五点 (cóng jiǔ diǎn dào wǔ diǎn) = from nine to five. The same pattern covers any span — 从早上八点到晚上六点 = from 8 am to 6 pm. Printed opening hours often use a dash instead, but in speech 从…到… is the natural way to say it.

Half an hour is 半个小时 (bàn ge xiǎoshí), often shortened to 半小时. An hour and a half is 一个半小时 (yí ge bàn xiǎoshí). These are durations — don’t confuse them with the half-hour on the clock, which uses 半 after the hour: 九点半 = 9:30.