Vocabulary · beginner

Telling Time in Japanese — Hours, Minutes & Time Expressions

Learn how to tell time in Japanese. Hours (じ), minutes (ふん), and daily time expressions for JLPT N5 with pronunciation.

Telling time in Japanese uses the counter じ (ji) for hours and ふん/ぷん (fun/pun) for minutes. Some hours have irregular readings: 4 o'clock is よじ (not しじ), 7 o'clock is しちじ, and 9 o'clock is くじ. Half past is expressed with はん — so 3:30 is さんじはん.

Key Vocabulary

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
いちじichijione o'clock
にじnijitwo o'clock
さんじsanjithree o'clock
よじyojifour o'clock
ごぜんgozenAM / morning
ごごgogoPM / afternoon
いまimanow
なんじnanjiwhat time?

Example Sentences

  • いま なんじ ですか？
    ima nanji desu ka?
    What time is it now?
  • ごぜん くじ です
    gozen kuji desu
    It's 9 AM
  • ごご さんじはん です
    gogo sanji-han desu
    It's 3:30 PM
  • しちじ に おきます
    shichiji ni okimasu
    I wake up at 7

Study Tips

  • 1じ (ji) is the counter for hours: いちじ (1 o'clock), にじ (2 o'clock)
  • 2ふん/ぷん (fun/pun) is the counter for minutes — the reading changes based on the number
  • 3はん (han) means 'half' — さんじはん = 3:30
  • 44 o'clock is よじ (yoji), not しじ or よんじ

Next Topic

Japanese Family Words — How to Talk About Family in Japanese

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