Time Words + Phrases

现在 (xiànzài)

now

今天 (jīntiān)

today

明天 (míngtiān)

tomorrow

昨天 (zuótiān)

yesterday

前天 (qiántiān)

the day before yesterday

后天 (hòutiān)

the day after tomorrow

一早 (yìzǎo)

early morning

早上 (Zǎoshang)

morning

上午 (Shàngwǔ)

morning (formal)

中午 (Zhōngwǔ)

noon

下午 (Xiàwǔ)

afternoon

晚上 (Wǎnshàng)

evening

半夜 (Bànyè)

midnight

凌晨 (língchén)

early morning (e.g. 2am–5am)

白天 (báitiān)

daytime

夜间 (yèjiān)

nighttime

工作日 (gōngzuò rì)

work day

周末 (zhōumò)

weekend

天 (tiān)

day

日 (rì)

day (formal/written)

星期 (xīngqī)

week (1)

周 (zhōu)

week (2)

上个星期 (Shàng gè xīngqí)

last week (1)

上周 (Shàng zhōu)

last week (2)

这个星期 (Zhège xīngqí)

this week (1)

这周 (Zhè zhōu)

this week (2)

下个星期 (Xià gè xīngqí)

next week (1)

下周 (Xià zhōu)

next week (2)

月 (yuè)

month

上个月 (Shàng gè yuè)

last month

这个月 (Zhège yuè)

this month (1)

本月 (Běn yuè)

this month (2)

下个月 (Xià gè yuè)

next month

年 (nián)

year

去年 (qùnián)

last year

今年 (jīnnián)

this year

明年 (míngnián)

next year

去年夏天 (Qùnián xiàtiān)

last summer

今年夏天 (Jīnnián xiàtiān)

this summer

明年夏天 (Míngnián xiàtiān)

next summer

学期 (Xuéqí)

semester

世纪 (shìjì)

century

年代 (niándài)

decade, era

期间 (Qíjiān)

period (1)

时期 (shíqī)

period (2)

秒 (miǎo)

second

分钟 (fēnzhōng)

minute

小时 (xiǎoshí)

hour (1)

钟头 (zhōngtóu)

hour (2)

以前 (yǐqián)

before, previously

以后 (yǐhòu)

after, in the future (after that point)

然后 (ránhòu)

then, and then (sequence of actions)

后来 (hòulái)

later (what happened afterwards)

最后 (zuìhòu)

finally, at the end, the ending

终于 (zhōngyú)

finally (after waiting / effort e.g. “FINALLY!” (emotional))

刚才 (gāngcái)

just now

刚刚 (gānggāng)

just (slightly more immediate)

一会儿 (yíhuìr)

in a moment, in a while

一下 (yíxià)

briefly (e.g. wait a second)

已经 (yǐjīng)

already

还 (hái)

still

就 (jiù)

then, just, already, only, right away (early)

才 (cái)

then, just, already, only (late)

马上 (mǎshàng)

immediately (1)

立刻 (lìkè)

immediately (2)

立马 (lìmǎ)

immediately (colloquial) (3)

一直 (yìzhí)

continuously, always (1)

总是 (zǒngshì)

always (2)

最近 (zuìjìn)

recently

等一会儿 (děng yi huìr)

wait a moment

过一会儿 (guò yíhuìr)

after a while

那个时候 (nà ge shíhou)

at that time (1)

当时 (dāngshí)

at that time (2)

这个时候 (zhè ge shíhou)

at this time

晚一点 (wǎn yìdiǎn)

a bit later

早一点 (zǎo yi diǎn)

earlier

一天 (yì tiān)

one day

每天 (měi tiān)

every day

这几天 (zhè jǐ tiān)

these days

几天前 (jǐ tiān qián)

a few days ago

三天前 (Sān tiān qián)

3 days ago

几天后 (jǐ tiān hòu)

in a few days

三天后 (sān tiān hòu)

in 3 days time

两个小时后 (Liǎng gè xiǎoshí hòu)

in 2 hours

一次 (yīcì)

once, at one time

上次 (shang ci)

last time

下次 (xia ci)

next time

每次 (měi cì)

every time

两次 (liǎng cì)

twice

有时候 (yǒushíhou)

sometimes

经常 (jīngcháng)

often (1)

常常 (chángcháng)

often (2)

偶尔 (ǒu’ěr)

occasionally

很少 (hěn shǎo)

rarely

从来不 (cónglái bu)

never

平时 (píngshí)

usually, normally

既然 (Jìrán)

since, now that

先 (xiān)

first

首先 (Shǒuxiān)

firstly, first of all

最初 (zuìchū)

initially