Basic Time Units in Chinese (Simplified)

In order to effectively use time expressions, it’s important to first familiarize oneself with the basic time units in Chinese (Simplified) language. These are as follows:

• Year (年) – nián
• Month (月) – yuè
• Week (周) – zhōu or 星期 – xīngqí
• Day (日) – rì or 天 – tiān
• Hour (小时) – xiǎoshí
• Minute (分) – fēn
• Second (秒) – miǎo

With these basic time units in mind, let’s dive into the various time expressions used in Chinese (Simplified) grammar.

Constructing Time Expressions

In Chinese (Simplified) grammar, time expressions are frequently used in sentences to indicate time context. There are several ways to structure time information, which are outlined below.

Positional Time Expressions

Positional time expressions refer to words or phrases placed before or after verbs to specify time information. Some common positional time expressions include:

• 之前 (zhīqián) – before
• 之后 (zhīhòu) – after
• 以前 (yǐqián) – in the past / previously
• 以后 (yǐhòu) – in the future / afterwards

For example:

他去年以前住在上海。
(Tā qùnián yǐqián zhù zài Shànghǎi.)
He lived in Shanghai before last year.

Temporal Time Expressions

Temporal time expressions are used to describe specific moments or periods of time. Some examples include:

• 早上 (zǎoshang) – morning
• 下午 (xiàwǔ) – afternoon
• 晚上 (wǎnshàng) – evening
• 今天 (jīntiān) – today
• 明天 (míngtiān) – tomorrow
• 昨天 (zuótiān) – yesterday

For example:

我明天会去图书馆。
(Wǒ míngtiān huì qù túshū guǎn.)
I will go to the library tomorrow.

Frequency Time Expressions

Frequency time expressions convey how often an action takes place. Common frequency time expressions include:

• 总是 (zǒngshì) – always
• 通常 (tōngcháng) – usually
• 有时候 (yǒu shíhou) – sometimes
• 从来不 (cónglái bù) – never

For example:

她通常早上锻炼。
(Tā tōngcháng zǎoshang duànliàn.)
She usually exercises in the morning.

Understanding Time Expression Position in Sentences

In Chinese (Simplified) grammar, the position of time expressions within a sentence has a direct impact on the meaning. Generally, time expressions are placed before the verb, with more specific time expressions preceding broader time expressions.

For example:

今天下午我会去看电影。
(Jīntiān xiàwǔ wǒ huì qù kàn diànyǐng.)
This afternoon I will go to watch a movie.

By following these guidelines and familiarizing oneself with the various time expressions presented in this article, learners will gain a thorough understanding of how to effectively use time expressions in Chinese (Simplified) grammar to achieve clear and accurate communication.