n.
hour
小时
hour
An hour of clock duration. Counted with 个: 一个小时 (one hour).
Common Usage & Traps
- 一个小时 — one hour
- 两个小时 — two hours
- 几个小时 — how many hours / a few hours
- 半个小时 — half an hour
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一个时间一个小时时间 is a fuzzy amount you can't count, so it never takes 个. If you can count it, use 小时.
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现在几小时现在几点小时 measures how long something takes. Clock readings use 点, never 小时.
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二个小时两个小时Before a measure word, 'two' is always 两. 二 only shows up when reading numbers, like 十二 or 二十.
Why can't I say 一个时间 when I mean 'one hour'?
小时 is an hour you can count; 时间 is the blurry stuff you never have enough of.
小时 works like a unit on a ruler, so numbers and 个 sit in front of it naturally. 时间 is the vague pool of time itself, so sticking 个 on it sounds broken. That's why 一个小时 and 两个小时 sound fine, but 一个时间 does not. Real life version: 你今晚有时间吗 asks if you're free at all. 你今晚要几个小时 asks for a headcount of hours. If you can point at a number of hours, say 小时.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Countable | 一个小时, 两个小时 | 一个时间 |
| What it means | A length of clock hours | Time as a general idea |
| Typical sentence | 路上要两个小时。 | 路上要两个时间。 |
| Asking a question | 要几个小时? | 要多少时间? |
Why do people ask 现在几点 but never 现在几小时?
点 is a dot on the clock face; 小时 is how long something lasted.
点 answers 'where are the hands pointing right now'. 小时 answers 'how long did that take'. English uses one word, 'time', for both jobs, which is exactly why learners mix them up. So 现在三点 is a clock reading, and 我学了三小时 is a duration. If a coworker texts 几点了, they want 三点, not 三个小时. Keep the two words in separate mental boxes.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Clock reading | 现在三点。 | 现在三小时。 |
| Duration | 我学了三小时。 | 我学了三点。 |
| With 个 | 三个小时 is fine | 三个点 (unless you mean three dots) |
| Texting a friend | 几点了? | 几小时了? |
Do you really need 个 in 三个小时, or is 三小时 enough?
Both are correct. 三个小时 is the safe default; 三小时 is the brisk native shortcut.
个 is optional with 小时, so 三小时 and 三个小时 both land fine on native ears. Dropping 个 sounds slightly tighter, like reading off a schedule. The rules flip for other time units, which is where learners slip. 天 and 年 never take 个, so 三天 and 三年 are the only correct forms. But 星期 and 月 do take it: 三个星期, 三个月.
“上午四小时，中午吃中饭。” (Four hours in the morning, then lunch at noon.)
“上午四小时，中午吃中饭。” (Four hours in the morning, then lunch at noon.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | 三个小时 / 三小时 | 三个钟头 (dialect, not standard) |
| Days | 三天 | 三个天 |
| Weeks | 三个星期 | 三星期 (rare in speech) |
| Years | 三年 | 三个年 |
Why is 'two hours' 两个小时 and never 二个小时?
两 is the counting form in front of a measure word; 二 is for reading numbers aloud.
When you count actual things, Chinese switches 'two' to 两. So you get 两个小时, 两个人, 两杯咖啡. 二 stays for reciting digits and doing math: 十二, 二十, 第二. The one spot that trips people up is the clock, because 两点 means 2 o'clock, and 二点 sounds like a schoolkid error. Same logic, different unit — 两 wins whenever something is being counted.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Counting things | 两个小时, 两个人 | 二个小时, 二个人 |
| Reading numbers | 十二, 二十, 第二 | 十两, 两十 |
| Clock time | 两点 | 二点 |
| Money | 两百块 | 二百块 (fine in writing, stiff in speech) |
Appears in Stories 5 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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有两千个 小时 这么多时间学习吗？
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我自己还下了一个APP，做HSK题，自己学了最多两百个 小时 。
Meet Xiao Shang, who is heading back to Shanghai. She compares two ways to travel and tells us why she prefers the slower one. This story helps you practice comparing transportation in simple Chinese.
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从北京到上海坐飞机，不到两个 小时 ，但是要坐火车，就要最少五个多 小时 。
Step through a full day—from morning routines to bedtime—and pick up practical phrases for telling time and talking about your own schedule with a typical Chinese rhyme.
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上午四 小时 ，中午吃中饭。
This playful poem turns numbers into a rhythm of daily life. As you read, practice counting, days of the week, and common time words in a fun, memorable way.
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工作两三年，休息四五天，读书一 小时 ，吃饭五分钟。
This playful HSK 1 poem twists words you already know and asks how an hour can be small. Read it aloud and laugh; a fun way to practice Chinese.
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小猫小的猫，小狗小的狗，小学不很小， 小时 怎么小？
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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