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Scene illustrating a Simplified Chinese-language basic time conversation

Key Phrases

今天

jīn tiān

Today

现在几点了?

xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le

What time is it?

下午三点半

xià wǔ sān diǎn bàn

It is three thirty in the afternoon

Skills You'll Learn

Telling time

报时

bào shí

Discussing the time of day

讨论一天中的时间

tǎo lùn yī tiān zhōng de shí jiān

Understanding yesterday, today, and tomorrow concepts

理解昨天、今天和明天的概念

lǐ jiě zuó tiān jīn tiān hé míng tiān de gài niàn

Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases

📅

今天

jīn tiān

Today

See breakdown →
🔜

明天

míng tiān

Tomorrow

See breakdown →
📅🔜🌞

后天

hòu tiān

Day after tomorrow

💬 [后天] is built the same way as [今天], [明天], and [昨天]: a time word + [天]. You can spot the pattern in related words too, like [后年] (the year after next).

See breakdown →
🗓️🔙

昨天

zuó tiān

Yesterday

See breakdown →
⏳

小时

xiǎo shí

Hour

See breakdown →
⏳⏰

分钟

fēn zhōng

Minute

See breakdown →
⏱️

秒

miǎo

Second

See breakdown →
🌙

晚上

wǎn shàng

Night

See breakdown →
🌅

早上

zǎo shàng

Morning

See breakdown →
🚀

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