In Chinese, time is commonly expressed using the terms 'hours', 'minutes', and 'seconds'. When giving a specific time, numbers are typically connected by the characters 点 (hour), 分 (minute), and 秒 (second). In everyday conversation, on the hour people usually say 'What time is it?', and for times with minutes you typically say the minutes after the hour.

To express whole hours, people commonly use 'What time is it?' or 'What time is it on the clock?' In formal settings you can add 'o'clock' to emphasize precision. In spoken language, simply saying 'What time is it?' is most common.

To express a specific time with minutes, you typically say 'hour + 点 + minute + 分' (hour + o'clock + minute). If the minutes are whole, you can shorten it colloquially, but the standard expression keeps the '分' (minutes). In Chinese, the time order is 'hour' first, followed by 'minutes'.

To express seconds, use 'hour + 点 + minute + 分 + second + 秒'. In everyday conversation, seconds are rarely used; they are more common in timing or broadcasting. The second usually comes at the end of the sentence, immediately after the number.

Numbers 1 to 10 are read directly as 'one' through 'ten'. In telling time, the 12-hour format commonly uses 'one o'clock' to 'twelve o'clock'. For minute values under 10, you can say 'zero X' or you can pronounce the number directly, depending on the context.

In Chinese, the 'morning' and 'afternoon' are used to distinguish the day. The full expression commonly uses 'morning/afternoon + time', particularly in the 12-hour system to avoid ambiguity. In speech, the time of day may be omitted if the context is clear, but formal phrasing is recommended to keep.

To describe a time range, you commonly use 'from ... to ...'. In spoken language you can also say '...—...' to indicate the interval. When expressing a time range, both the start and end times use the full time structure.

Common phrases related to time include 'now', 'on time', 'morning', and 'evening'. These terms are often paired with specific times to help locate the time context.

Chinese can express time with the 24-hour clock, without 'AM' or 'PM', simply saying 'XX点'. In writing and public information such as stations or hospitals, the 24-hour clock is common. When spoken, it is usually read as 'X点', with numbers greater than 12.

In spoken language, time can be shortened, such as 'six o'clock half' (six-thirty) and 'ten o'clock one quarter' (ten fifteen). These forms are habitually used, though they correspond to standard minute values. Understanding these abbreviations helps with understanding conversations.