Day 4: Numbers, Time, and Dates in Chinese

(30-Day Spoken Chinese Beginner Plan)

🗓 This is Day 4 of the 30-Day Spoken Chinese Beginner Plan
🔙 Back to Full Course: Spoken Chinese for Beginners

Section 1: Today’s Goal

Today you will learn:

• How to say basic numbers in Chinese

• How to say time (o’clock, morning, evening)

• How to say simple dates (today, tomorrow, yesterday)

• How to use these in real-life situations (class, office, travel)

⏱ Study time: 15 minutes

Indian context:
Think about asking: “What time is the class?” or “Today or tomorrow?”
By the end of today, you can say and understand simple time and date words in Chinese.

Section 2: Numbers You Must Know (Pinyin + Meaning)

Start with 0 to 10 (enough for daily use):

• líng — zero

• yī — one

• èr — two

• sān — three

• sì — four

• wǔ — five

• liù — six

• qī — seven

• bā — eight

• jiǔ — nine

• shí — ten

Simple tip:
Say them slowly and clearly. Don’t rush.

Section 3: Talking About Time (Pinyin + Meaning)

Useful words:

• diǎn — o’clock

• xiànzài — now

• zǎoshang — morning

• xiàwǔ — afternoon

• wǎnshang — evening / night

Examples you can say:

• Sān diǎn — Three o’clock

• Xiànzài sān diǎn — Now it is three o’clock

• Zǎoshang hǎo — Good morning

• Wǎnshang hǎo — Good evening

Indian context example:
If your class is at 7 pm, you can think:

“Wǎnshang qī diǎn” = Evening seven o’clock (7 pm)

Section 4: Talking About Dates (Very Simple)

Use these 3 super useful words:

• jīntiān — today

• míngtiān — tomorrow

• zuótiān — yesterday

Examples:

• Jīntiān shàngkè — Today (we have) class

• Míngtiān shàngkè — Tomorrow (we have) class

• Zuótiān shàngkè — Yesterday (we had) class

Don’t worry about grammar. Just understand and use the key words.

Section 5: Mini Practice Sentences

Read these aloud:

• Xiànzài sān diǎn. — Now it is three o’clock.

• Jīntiān shàngkè. — Today is class day.

• Míngtiān shàngkè. — Tomorrow is class day.

• Wǎnshang qī diǎn. — Evening seven o’clock (7 pm).

Section 6: Common Beginner Tip

❌ Don’t try to translate word by word like English.
✅ Just remember the key words:

• number + diǎn = time

• jīntiān / míngtiān / zuótiān = date words

Indian learner tip:
Think like telegram style: short, clear, simple. Chinese spoken style is often short and direct.

Section 7: Today’s Practice

✅ Your Day 4 Task:

1. Say numbers 1 to 10 aloud two times.

2. Say these aloud 3 times:

   • Xiànzài sān diǎn

   • Wǎnshang qī diǎn

   • Jīntiān shàngkè

   • Míngtiān shàngkè

3. Make one sentence about your class time. Example:

   Wǎnshang qī diǎn. (7 pm)

4. Record your voice and listen:

   • Are you clear?

   • Are you slow and confident?

Section 8: Quick Self-Check

• Can you say 1 to 10 in Chinese? ✅

• Can you say one time like “three o’clock”? ✅

• Do you know today / tomorrow / yesterday? ✅

If yes → 🎉 Great! You’re ready for Day 5.

✅ You’ve completed Day 4
👉 Next Lesson: Day 5 – 20 Daily-Use Chinese Sentences You Must Know
🔙 Back to Full Course: Spoken Chinese for Beginners