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⏰ 时间 (shí jiān) & 天气 (tiān qì) - Time and Weather

Learn to express time, work habits, and discuss weather in Chinese with essential daily conversation patterns

Chinese lesson from Friday, June 6, 2025

📚 Part A - Essential Learning

Begin your journey with time expressions and basic weather conversations. Perfect for beginners looking to master daily scheduling and weather patterns.

Perfect for beginners and essential concepts

📚 Key Phrase: 现在几点了? (xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le?)

📖

Grammar Focus

⏰ 现在 (xiàn zài) - Expressing 'Now' and Current Time
现在 (xiàn zài) is used to talk about the present moment, current situation, or 'now'. It's essential for time expressions.
Time structure: 现在 + 是 + [time/situation]
• 现在几点了？(xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le?) - What time is it now?
• 现在是七点 (xiàn zài shì qī diǎn) - It's seven o'clock now
• 现在是吃饭时间 (xiàn zài shì chī fàn shí jiān) - It's time to eat now
现在几点了?
xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le?
What time is it now?
🕐 Time Expressions in Chinese
Chinese time follows a logical pattern: [time period] + [hour] + [minute]. The word 点 (diǎn) means 'o'clock', and 半 (bàn) means 'half past'.
Time pattern: [Period] + Number + 点 + [分/半]
• 早上七点 (zǎo shàng qī diǎn) - 7 AM (morning 7 o'clock)
• 下午三点半 (xià wǔ sān diǎn bàn) - 3:30 PM
• 晚上九点 (wǎn shàng jiǔ diǎn) - 9 PM
现在是早上七点半
xiàn zài shì zǎo shàng qī diǎn bàn
It's seven thirty in the morning now
🌤️ 怎么样 (zěn me yàng) - The Versatile 'How' Question
怎么样 (zěn me yàng) is used to ask about the condition, quality, or state of something. It's like asking 'how is/was...' or 'what's ... like?'
Question structure: Subject + 怎么样？
• 天气怎么样？(tiān qì zěn me yàng?) - How's the weather?
• 工作怎么样？(gōng zuò zěn me yàng?) - How's work?
• 你怎么样？(nǐ zěn me yàng?) - How are you?
天气怎么样?
tiān qì zěn me yàng?
How's the weather?
现在几点了?
xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le?
What time is it now?
¿Qué hora es ahora?

词汇 Vocabulary Practice

Practice writing the phrases from today's Chinese lesson!

现在几点了?
xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le?
English:
What time is it now?
Español:
¿Qué hora es ahora?
现在是七点半
xiàn zài shì qī diǎn bàn
English:
It's seven thirty now
Español:
Ahora son las siete y media
现在是早上七点半
xiàn zài shì zǎo shàng qī diǎn bàn
English:
It's seven thirty in the morning now
Español:
Ahora son las siete y media de la mañana
现在是吃饭时间
xiàn zài shì chī fàn shí jiān
English:
It's time to eat now
Español:
Ahora es hora de comer
现在是上课时间
xiàn zài shì shàng kè shí jiān
English:
It's class time now
Español:
Ahora es hora de clase
现在是上班时间
xiàn zài shì shàng bān shí jiān
English:
It's work time now
Español:
Ahora es hora de trabajar
不要摸鱼
bù yào mō yú
English:
Don't slack off (at work)
Español:
No hagas el vago (en el trabajo)
天气怎么样?
tiān qì zěn me yàng?
English:
How's the weather?
Español:
¿Cómo está el tiempo?
明天天气怎么样?
míng tiān tiān qì zěn me yàng?
English:
How will the weather be tomorrow?
Español:
¿Cómo estará el tiempo mañana?
我的衣服怎么样?
wǒ de yī fu zěn me yàng?
English:
How are my clothes?
Español:
¿Cómo está mi ropa?
会下大雨
huì xià dà yǔ
English:
It will rain heavily
Español:
Lloverá mucho
别忘了打雨伞
bié wàng le dá yǔ sǎn
English:
Don't forget to take an umbrella
Español:
No olvides llevar paraguas
明天不会下雨
míng tiān bù huì xià yǔ
English:
It won't rain tomorrow
Español:
Mañana no lloverá
今天会下雪
jīn tiān huì xià xuě
English:
It will snow today
Español:
Hoy nevará
明天会下雪
míng tiān huì xià xuě
English:
It will snow tomorrow
Español:
Mañana nevará
礼物怎么样？
lǐ wù zěn me yàng?
English:
How's the gift?
Español:
¿Cómo está el regalo?
今天工作怎么样?
jīn tiān gōng zuò zěn me yàng?
English:
How was work today?
Español:
¿Cómo estuvo el trabajo hoy?
今天心情怎么样？
jīn tiān xīn qíng zěn me yàng?
English:
How's your mood today?
Español:
¿Cómo está tu estado de ánimo hoy?

文化 Cultural Insights

🐟 In modern Chinese work culture, 摸鱼 (mō yú) has become a popular internet slang term. While it literally means 'touch fish,' it refers to slacking off at work. This phrase reflects the younger generation's attitude toward work-life balance and is commonly used in office settings and social media.

🎯 Part B - Advanced Practice

Deepen your understanding with advanced grammar concepts, cultural insights, and real-world reading practice. Ideal for students ready to tackle complex time expressions and natural conversations.

For students ready to dive deeper

📖 Reading Practice

📖 忙碌的一天 - A Busy Day

Xiǎo Wáng zǎo shàng liù diǎn bàn qǐ chuáng.
小王早上六点半起床。
Tā kàn le kàn shǒu jī: "Xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le?"
他看了看手机："现在几点了？"
"Xiàn zài shì zǎo shàng qī diǎn bàn, kuài yào chí dào le!"
"现在是早上七点半，快要迟到了！"
Tā dǎ kāi chuāng hù kàn tiān qì: "Jīn tiān tiān qì zěn me yàng?"
他打开窗户看天气："今天天气怎么样？"
Tiān kōng hěn yīn, kàn qǐ lái huì xià dà yǔ.
天空很阴，看起来会下大雨。
"Bié wàng le dá yǔ sǎn!" tā zì jǐ tí xǐng zì jǐ.
"别忘了打雨伞！"他自己提醒自己。
Dào le gōng sī, tóng shì men wèn tā: "Jīn tiān gōng zuò zěn me yàng?"
到了公司，同事们问他："今天工作怎么样？"
Xiǎo Wáng shuō: "Hěn máng! Xiàn zài shì shàng bān shí jiān, wǒ men bù yào mō yú."
小王说："很忙！现在是上班时间，我们不要摸鱼。"
Zhōng wǔ de shí hòu, tā wèn péng yǒu: "Xiàn zài shì chī fàn shí jiān ma?"
中午的时候，他问朋友："现在是吃饭时间吗？"
Péng yǒu shuō: "Shì de! Míng tiān tiān qì zěn me yàng? Míng tiān huì xià yǔ ma?"
朋友说："是的！明天天气怎么样？明天会下雨吗？"
Xiǎo Wáng kàn le tiān qì yù bào: "Míng tiān bù huì xià yǔ, dàn shì huì xià xuě!"
小王看了天气预报："明天不会下雨，但是会下雪！"
"Zhēn de ma? Nà wǒ míng tiān de yī fu zěn me yàng xuǎn zé ne?"
"真的吗？那我明天的衣服怎么样选择呢？"
Wǎn shàng huí jiā hòu, Xiǎo Wáng wèn tài tai: "Jīn tiān xīn qíng zěn me yàng?"
晚上回家后，小王问太太："今天心情怎么样？"
Tài tai xiào zhe shuō: "Hěn hǎo! Nǐ de lǐ wù zěn me yàng? Wǒ hěn xǐ huān!"
太太笑着说："很好！你的礼物怎么样？我很喜欢！"

📝 Vocabulary from this reading:

起床
qǐ chuáng
To get up, get out of bed
迟到
chí dào
To be late
阴
yīn
Cloudy, overcast
提醒
tí xǐng
To remind
天气预报
tiān qì yù bào
Weather forecast
选择
xuǎn zé
To choose, choice

📚 Additional Learning Content

🕐 Complete Time Periods in Chinese
Master all the time periods used in daily conversation.
Time periods:
• 早上 (zǎo shàng) - morning (6-11 AM)
• 上午 (shàng wǔ) - forenoon (6-12 PM)
• 中午 (zhōng wǔ) - noon (11 AM-1 PM)
• 下午 (xià wǔ) - afternoon (1-6 PM)
• 晚上 (wǎn shàng) - evening (6-11 PM)
• 夜里 (yè lǐ) - night (11 PM-6 AM)
🌈 Weather Vocabulary Extension
Expand your weather conversation skills with these common expressions.
Weather conditions:
• 晴天 (qíng tiān) - sunny day
• 阴天 (yīn tiān) - cloudy day
• 下雨天 (xià yǔ tiān) - rainy day
• 刮风 (guā fēng) - windy
• 打雷 (dǎ léi) - thunder
• 闪电 (shǎn diàn) - lightning

作业 Homework & Practice

📝 Homework for next class:

1. ⏰ Time Practice: Write down your daily schedule using time expressions (example: 早上七点我起床 (zǎo shàng qī diǎn wǒ qǐ chuáng))

2. 🌤️ Weather Conversations: Practice asking about weather using 怎么样 (zěn me yàng) for 5 different situations

3. 💼 Work Time Vocabulary: Create sentences using 上班时间 (shàng bān shí jiān), 下班时间 (xià bān shí jiān), 吃饭时间 (chī fàn shí jiān), 休息时间 (xiū xi shí jiān)

4. 🔮 Future Predictions: Write 5 predictions using 会 (huì) about tomorrow's weather and activities

5. 🐟 Fun Challenge: Learn when to use 摸鱼 (mō yú) in conversation - ask Chinese friends about work culture!

💡 Daily Practice: Every time you check the time, say it in Chinese. When you see weather, describe it using today's patterns!

Practice Checklist:

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