Time and numbers help us organize our daily life, appointments, and transport schedules, improving practical communication and punctuality in Chinese.
LEVEL/WORDCOUNT: HSK2 / ~500 words
时间和数字在日常生活中的应用
今天是星期一，我要去工作。现在几点？ 我七点零分起床。早上，我吃早饭，然后，去公司。 我上班 时间是八点到十一点，每天工作八小时。 中午我吃午饭，时间大约半小时。下午，我参加会议，从两点到三点。 晚上我常常看电视或打游戏，大约一小时。 有时候我和朋友见面，他问你什么时候有空，我回答我三点有空。 通过通过这些例子，我们可以学习怎么说时间，使用数字，以及表达每天的活动。
Time and Numbers in Daily Life
Today is Monday. I wake up at 7:00. In the morning, I eat breakfast and go to work. My work hours are from 8:00 to 11:00, eight hours each day. At noon, I eat lunch for about half an hour. In the afternoon, I attend a meeting from 2:00 to 3:00. In the evening, I usually watch TV or play games for about one hour. Sometimes I meet friends. They ask “When are you free?” I answer, “I am free at 3:00.” These examples help us learn how to tell time, use numbers, and talk about daily activities.
Audio help
How to Use the Audio
The audio is designed to help you improve your Chinese listening skills and pronunciation. You can use it in two ways:
- Before reading the text: Listen first to practice understanding spoken Chinese. Focus on pronunciation, rhythm, and listening comprehension.
- After reading the text: Listen again to compare your own pronunciation with the native speaker. Improve fluency and speaking skills.
Vocabulary
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 今天 | Jīntiān | Today |
| 现在 | Xiànzài | Now |
| 几点 | Jǐ diǎn | What time |
| 早上 | Zǎoshang | Morning |
| 下午 | Xiàwǔ | Afternoon |
| 晚上 | Wǎnshang | Evening |
| 小时 | Xiǎoshí | Hour |
| 分钟 | Fēnzhōng | Minute |
| 每 | Měi | Every |
| 工作 | Gōngzuò | Work |
| 朋友 | Péngyǒu | Friend |
| 吃 | Chī | Eat |
| 会议 | Huìyì | Meeting |
| 活动 | Huódòng | Activities |
| 数字 | Shùzì | Numbers |
Grammar
- Tell time: Number + 点 (+ Number + 分) — e.g., 七点半, 两点十五分.
- Asking the time: 现在几点？ — What time is it now?
- Asking availability: 什么时候有空？ — When are you free?
- Frequency: 每天工作八小时 — Work eight hours every day.
Idiomatic Expressions
| Mandarin | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 早起的鸟儿有虫吃 | Zǎoqǐ de niǎo ér yǒu chóng chī | The early bird catches the worm |
| 一分耕耘一分收获 | Yī fēn gēngyún yī fēn shōuhuò | No pain, no gain |
| 按时完成 | Àn shí wánchéng | Finish on time |
| 分秒必争 | Fēn miǎo bì zhēng | Every second counts |
| 有条不紊 | Yǒu tiáo bù wěn | Orderly and methodical |
Cultural Insights
- Chinese workdays often start at 8:00 or 9:00 in many offices.
- Lunch breaks are usually 30–60 minutes in urban China.
- Using 24-hour digital clocks is common for transport schedules.
- Time expressions are essential for daily communication and appointments.
10 Questions
- 你几点起床？ 💡 七点
- 早上你做什么？ 💡 吃早饭，去工作
- 午饭时间多长？ 💡 半小时
- 下午会议几点开始？ 💡 两点
- 你什么时候看电视？ 💡 晚上
- 你玩游戏多长时间？ 💡 一小时
- 什么时候见朋友？ 💡 有时候
- 你怎么回答“什么时候有空”？ 💡 我三点有空
- 每天工作几个小时？ 💡 八小时
- 故事中哪些数字用来表示时间？ 💡 七、八、十一、两、三
Multiple Choice
| 1. 现在几点？ 💡 七点零分 a) 六点 b) 七点零分 c) 八点 | 2. 午饭时间多长？ 💡 半小时 a) 一小时 b) 半小时 c) 两小时 |
| 3. 下午会议几点？ 💡 两点 a) 一点 b) 两点 c) 三点 | 4. 你通常什么时候看电视？ 💡 晚上 a) 早上 b) 下午 c) 晚上 |
| 5. 每天工作几个小时？ 💡 八小时 a) 六小时 b) 八小时 c) 十小时 | 6. 你什么时候有空？ 💡 三点 a) 一点 b) 三点 c) 五点 |
True or False
- 午饭时间是一小时。 💡 False
- 上班时间是八点。 💡 True
- 晚上的活动持续两小时。 💡 False
- 会议从两点到三点。 💡 True
- 我五点有空。 💡 False
- 故事中数字七用来表示时间。 💡 True
Retell the Story
用你自己的话写这个故事。
Try to include time expressions, daily activities, and frequency words like 每天 and 什么时候 in your retelling.
