Expression of time and date in Japanese language [Step.10]
Time
Time is expressed as the combination of a numerical value and a unit name.
The unit names are "ji" (時), "fun" (分), and "byō" (秒).
For example, "8:15" is "8-ji 15-fun" in Japanese.
When you want to add the unit of second, for example, it becomes "8-ji 15-fun 10-byō".
The reading before "ji" is the following.
The orange parts have different reading from basic number reading.
The reading before "fun" are the following.
The orange parts have different reading and "fun" changes to "pun" in some parts.
From 11 to 59, normal numbers are used in the tens place.
For example, "15分" is "jū-go-fun" and "46分" is "yonjū-roppun".
The reading before "byō" are the following.
All parts are regular.
From 11 to 59, normal numbers are used in the tens place.
For example, "23秒" is "nijū-san-byō" and "55秒" is "gojū-go-byō".
The length of time
Above words express a point of time.
The length of time is the same as them.
But "hour" is "jikan" (時間) instead of "ji" (時).
For example, "2 hours and 25 minutes" is "2-jikan 25-fun" in Japanese.
Additional words to time
When time is expressed, the following words are often used.
- xx-ji han : xx:30 (Expression of the half hour)
- gozen (time) : (time) a.m.
- gogo (time) : (time) p.m.
- (time) goro : around (time)
- (time) mae : before (time)
- (time) sugi : after (time)
- (time) chōdo / chōdo (time) : just (time)
- (time) hatsu : depart at (time)
- (time) chaku : arrive at (time)
And the following adverbs are important.
- ima : now
- genzai : now (a little formal)
- kore kara : from now
- sakki : just a moment ago
- sakihodo : just a moment ago
Adverbial phrases for time
When the expression of time is used in sentence, the following adverbial phrases are used.
About "de", it is convenient to express the length of time.
Watashi wa hoteru ni gogo 4-ji han goro ni tsuki masu.
arrive (verb) = tsuku, "tsuki" before "masu"
Tōkyō kara Kyōto made Shinkansen wa 2-jikan 20-pun de hashiri masu.
run (verb) = hashiru, "hashiri" before "masu"
Watshi wa 6-ji mae ni oki masu.
get up (verb) = okiru, "oki" before "masu"
Kyō, Watshi wa 9-ji chōdo hatsu no basu de Tōkyō e iki masu.
When time modifies a noun, they can be connect with a particle "no" in Japanese.
Date
Date is also expressed as the combination of a numerical value and a unit name.
The unit names are "nen" (年), "gatsu" (月), and "nichi" (日).
For example, "May 18th, 2018" is "2018-nen 5-gatsu 18-nichi" in Japanese.
As you can see, the order is always year, month, day in Japanese.
The reading before "nen" is the same as the basic number.
For example, "2018-nen" is "nisen-jū-hachi-nen".
In Japan, both Christian Era and Japanese Era are used as the representation of year.
For foreigners, of course, Christian Era is used.
But Japanese Era is also used to the same degree among Japanese.
About Japanese Era, please the page of Outline.
By the way, 2018 is "Heisei 30-nen" (平成30年). (The 30th year of Heisei)
About "month", the name from various classical origin is given to each name of month in many western languages.
But in Japanese, it is expressed by adding “gatsu” after a numerical value.
For reading of day, it is basically expressed by adding “nichi” after a numerical value.
But the days from 1 to 10 and 20 are read by using the name in ancient times.
At that time, “nichi” isn’t used but mainly “ka” is used.
Days of the week
The names of day of the week are the following.
Both “yōbi” (曜日) and “yō” (曜) are OK.
As the abbreviated form using on calendar etc., the first kanji character part without “yōbi” is used and the reading of only the character is also only the part.
The meaning of the head part is similar to the name in English.
They are the elements of the world that the ancient people had believed.
By the way, "week" is "shū" (週) in Japanese.
The position of a week in a month is called as the following.
Season
In Japan, there are four seasons.
And there is a rainy season between spring and summer for a month in most areas except Hokkaido Island, it is called "tsuyu".
Additional words to date
When date is expressed, the following words are often used.
- (date) no hajime : the beginning of (date)
- (date) no owari : the end of (date)
- (date) no nakagoro : the middle part of (date)
- (date) no mae : before (date)
- (date) no ato : after (date)
- (date) no zenhan : the first half of (date)
- (date) no kōhan : the last half of (date)
- (month) no jōjun : between 1st and 10th of (month)
- (month) no chūjun : between 11th and 20th of (month)
- (month) no gejun : between 21st and 31th of (month)
- heijitsu : weekday
- shūmatsu : weekend
- kūjitsu : holiday
- shukujitsu : national holiday
And the following adverbs are important.
- kyō : today
- asu : tomorrow
- ashita : tomorrow
- asatte : the day after tomorrow
- kinō : yesterday
- ototoi : the day before yesterday
- konshū : this week
- raishū : next week
- senshū : last week
- kongetsu : this month
- raigetsu : next month
- sengetsu : last month
- kotoshi : this year
- rainen : next year
- kyonen : last year
Adverbial phrases for date
When the expression of date is used in sentence, the following adverbial phrases are used.
Sakura wa kotoshi Tōkyō de 3-gatsu 21-nichi ni saki mashi ta.
bloom (verb) = saku, "saki" before "masu"
Watashi wa rainen 10-gatsu no gejun ni Nihon e iki masu.
Japan (noun) = Nihon or Nippon
Kanojo wa Tōkyō de raigetsu kara 2019-nen 3-gatsu made gaikokujin ni nihongo o oshie masu.
foreigner (noun) = gaikokujin
oshieru (verb) = oshieru, "oshie" before "masu"