点 and 点钟

April 20, 2008 at 12:53 PM posted in General Discussion

Hi there,

I have some examples here from dialog/expansion texts:

我每天八点钟上班，六点钟下班。

我们五点钟开会。现在几点？

我九点到六点都在上班，真不方便。

六点了，我们要关门了。

I wonder why the 钟 is sometimes used and sometimes not? Are there any rules, or is it possible both with and without 钟 ...in some..or in any cases?

Thanks for your advice!

Gesang 格桑

April 20, 2008 at 01:51 PM

changye, you must be a specialist of "history of chinese language"!! thanks again for your interesting add! 格桑

April 20, 2008 at 01:40 PM

Hi gesang,

Just for the record.

For example, 八点钟 originally meant

"striking a bell eight times" for announcing time in a town.

April 20, 2008 at 01:20 PM

You are welcome!^_^

April 20, 2008 at 01:10 PM

Thanks casie, and this is probably the best answer I can get, that there are no new rules to learn, and the shorter and more easy way is better! ;-)

April 20, 2008 at 12:59 PM

Gesang,

both make sense. But 点is more natural in spoken chinses.

现在几点了？

现在八点半。

你几点起床？

我六点起床。