Time expressions (e.g. telling the time, days, days of the week, months, seasons)

Telling the Time

Think of a clock as a Chinese dragon that moves around the sky. The dragon’s tail points to the hour, and its claws point to the minutes.

• 现在几点？(What time is it now?)
• 现在是 三点半。(It’s 3:30.)
• 我 在七点钟 开始学习。(I start studying at 7:00.)

Days of the Week

Imagine the week as a seven‑layered cake. Each layer is a day.

1. 星期一 (Monday)
2. 星期二 (Tuesday)
3. 星期三 (Wednesday)
4. 星期四 (Thursday)
5. 星期五 (Friday)
6. 星期? ? (Saturday)
7. 星期日 (Sunday)

Months of the Year

Each month is like a seasonal flower that blooms at a different time.

Seasons

Seasons are like four moods of the Earth.

• 春天 (chūntiān) – Spring 🌱
• 夏天 (xiàtiān) – Summer 🌞
• 秋天 (qiūtiān) – Autumn 🍂
• 冬天 (dōngtiān) – Winter ❄️

📌 Examination Tips

When you see a question about time:

• Always read the context first (e.g., “现在几点？” vs. “我在几点开始学习?”).
• Remember that 点 (diǎn) is used for the hour, 分 (fēn) for minutes.
• Practice converting 12‑hour to 24‑hour format (e.g., 3:30 PM is 下午三点半).
• Use the 星期 prefix for days and 月 for months.

Good luck, and remember: “Practice makes perfect!”