HSK 3
差 (chà)
chà (chà)
to (when telling time)
Structure
差 + Minutes/Quarters + Hour
How it works
The word '差' (chà) is used in Chinese to express time by indicating how many minutes are 'short' or 'missing' from the next full hour. It is the equivalent of using 'to' or 'before' in English time-telling. You typically state the amount of time remaining first, followed by the upcoming hour.
Examples
现在差五分十点。
Xiànzài chà wǔ fēn shí diǎn.
It is five minutes to ten now.
差一刻八点了，快起床！
Chà yí kè bā diǎn le, kuài qǐchuáng!
It's a quarter to eight, get up quickly!
我们差十分一点在学校门口见。
Wǒmen chà shí fēn yì diǎn zài xuéxiào ménkǒu jiàn.
Let's meet at the school gate at ten to one.
Common mistakes
Placement of '差' is often flipped by learners; remember that '差' must come before the minutes, not between the minutes and the hour.
Tip
Think of '差' as 'minus.' For example, '差十分十点' is literally 'Minus 10 minutes, 10 o'clock.'
More HSK 3 grammar
See 差 (chà) in real Chinese
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