150: Expressing time in Chinese

Tadeusz asks: "Do Chinese concepts of time differ from English?"

In this episode:

In this episode, I'm joined by Chris Parker. We discuss...

• How to express time in Chinese
• Potential confusion with English
• Similarities in Cantonese and Japanese

Language Examples:

Before and after, not really front and behind

5 years ago - 5年以前 = 5 years before (not really front)

5 years time - 5年以后 = 5 years after (not really behind) (trad chars = 五年以後）

• 前 = before or in front
• 后 = after + behind
• 上个星期 last week (upper week) （上個星期 trad chars)
• 这个星期 this week （這個星期 trad chars）
• 下个星期 next week (lower week) （下個星期 trad chars)

(for weeks and months)

For series of books or films etc:

• 上 the one on the top - part 1
• (中) the one in the middle - part 2
• 下 the one on the bottom - part 3

or 上 first part 下 second part

• 上下 approximately (upper + lower)
• 左右 approximately (left + right)
• 前年 - the year before last (before year)
• 去年 - last year (gone/left year)
• 今年 - this year
• 明年 - next year
• 后年 - the year after next (year after) trad=後面

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Fluent In Mandarin - Chris Parker's awesome website about learning Chinese

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