dim2 zung1點鐘点钟
Jyutpingdim2 zung1
Yaledím jūng
Definition
O'clock; hour; a classifier used for telling the time on the hour.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Adding 鐘 after 點 is optional but very common in spoken Cantonese to clarify that you are referring to a specific hour on the clock. It helps distinguish the time from the word 點, which can also mean a point, a dot, or an idea. You will hear it most frequently when asking or stating the exact hour.
Examples
What time is it now?
I have an appointment to go for dim sum with friends at three o'clock.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 點鐘 with 鐘頭. Remember that 點鐘 is used for telling the time on a clock, while 鐘頭 refers to the duration or length of time, such as one hour or two hours.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
