Time Measure Terms - 日、号、岁、点…
时量词 — 日、号、岁、点…
Time measure terms measure temporal units: 号/日 (day of the month), 岁 (age in years), 点 (hour), 分 (minute), 年 (year), 天 (duration of time).
Structure
Number + Time Measure Term 号 for dates, 天 for durations, 岁 for age
Elements
How to use it
- 号 for dates: 三号 (3rd of the month), 十月一号 (1st of October).
- 岁 for age: 五岁 (5 years).
- 天 for durations in days: 三天 (3 days).
Examples
这个月的第一天是什么日子？
zhè gè yuè de dì yī tiān shì shén me rì zǐ?
What is the first day of this month?
今天是十月一号。
jīntiān shì shí yuè yī hào。
Today is October 1st.
她五岁了。
tā wǔ suì le。
She is five years old.
现在三点半。
xiànzài sān diǎn bàn。
It is three and a half hours.
我们可以将苹果分成四份。
Wǒmen kěyǐ jiānkè yúpíng fēn chéng sìfèn.
We can divide the apple into four parts.
他今年二十岁。
tā jīn nián èr shí suì
He is twenty years old this year.
Notes and exceptions
- 日 is more formal than 号 for dates.
- 天 serves for duration (三天 = for 3 days), 号/日 for calendar date.
- 日 : day; sun. The character "日" means "day" or "date".
- 号 : number; date. The word "号" can mean different concepts depending on the context, but for most learners, it is mostly used for dates.
- 岁 : year (age). The character "岁" means "year". Common combinations observed: 了 (aspect/change).
- 点 : point; small quantity; moment (hour).
- 分 : minute; point. The word "分" can mean "divide" implying equitable distribution or exchange among several people.
- 年 : year. The character 年 (nián) means "year" in Chinese and is used to represent a temporal cycle.
- 天 : day; sky. The word "sky" in French refers to the domain above the Earth, where clouds and air are located.
Common mistakes
- Age is expressed with 岁, not 年: *她五年 → 她五岁.
- Do not confuse 天 (duration) and 号 (date): 三天 (3 days) ≠ 三号 (3rd of the month).
Practice quiz
Choose the best option for each sentence, then submit to view the correction.
1. 这个月的第一天是什么____子？
(What is the first day of this month?)
2. 今天是十月一____。
(Today is October 1st.)
3. 她五____了。
(She is five years old.)
4. 现在三____半。
(It is three and a half hours.)
5. 我们可以将苹果____成四份。
(We can divide the apple into four parts.)
6. 他今年二十____。
(He is twenty years old this year.)