分钟

§ Basic Usage: Number + 分钟

The most common way to use 分钟 (fēn zhōng) is to simply put a number before it. This is how you say things like 'five minutes' or 'thirty minutes'. It's very straightforward, just like in English.

Translation Hint

five minutes

Translation Hint

twenty minutes

You'll often hear people say 钟 (zhōng) instead of 分钟 (fēn zhōng) when the context is clearly about time. This is a common shortcut, so don't be surprised when you hear it.

§ Expressing Duration: Doing Something for a Certain Number of Minutes

When you want to say you do something for a specific number of minutes, you place the duration after the verb. This is a key difference from English sentence structure.

Translation Hint

I run for fifteen minutes.

Translation Hint

He waited for thirty minutes.

§ Asking About Duration: 多少分钟 (duō shǎo fēn zhōng)

To ask 'how many minutes' or 'how long' when referring to minutes, you use 多少分钟 (duō shǎo fēn zhōng). This phrase can be placed in different parts of the sentence depending on what you're asking about.

Pattern 1: Questioning the duration of an action

Subject + Verb + 多少分钟 (duō shǎo fēn zhōng)?

Translation Hint

How many minutes do you study every day?

Pattern 2: Asking the duration of a specific item/event

这个 + Noun + 有 + 多少分钟 (duō shǎo fēn zhōng)?

Translation Hint

How many minutes is this movie?

§ Talking About a Specific Minute: 第 (dì) + Number + 分钟

If you want to talk about 'the first minute', 'the tenth minute', etc., you use 第 (dì) before the number and 分钟 (fēn zhōng) after it. 第 (dì) is a very important word for expressing ordinal numbers in Chinese.

Translation Hint

the tenth minute

Translation Hint

in the twentieth minute of the match

§ Common Phrases with 分钟 (fēn zhōng)

Here are some common phrases that use 分钟 (fēn zhōng) that you'll hear a lot. Learning these as chunks can really boost your fluency.

• 几分钟 (jǐ fēn zhōng): a few minutes

  请等几分钟。(qǐng děng jǐ fēn zhōng.)

  Translation Hint

  Please wait a few minutes.

• 差 (chà) + Number + 分钟 (fēn zhōng) + 到 (dào) + Hour: 'number of minutes to the hour' (e.g., ten minutes to three)

  差十分钟到三点。(chà shí fēn zhōng dào sān diǎn.)

  Translation Hint

  It's ten minutes to three o'clock.

§ Don't Confuse with Time Points

Many learners mix up expressing durations with specific points in time. 分钟 (fēn zhōng) is for duration – how long something lasts. When you want to say 'at X minutes past the hour,' you often just use 点 (diǎn) for hour and then specific numbers for minutes, or even just say the numbers.

§ Using 量词 (liàng cí - Measure Words)

While 分钟 (fēn zhōng) itself functions as a measure word for minutes, you don't typically add another general measure word before it when counting minutes. You just say the number followed by 分钟 (fēn zhōng).

Wrong

一个分钟 (yī gè fēn zhōng)

Right

一分钟 (yī fēn zhōng)

The number directly precedes 分钟 (fēn zhōng).

§ Omitting 了 (le) for Completed Durations

When talking about a duration that has already occurred or is completed, you often need 了 (le) to indicate this completion. This is a common point of confusion for English speakers, as 'for X minutes' in English doesn't always require a direct equivalent of 'le'.

Here, 了 (le) marks the completion of the waiting action for that duration.

§ Using during a Continuous Action

If an action is ongoing and you want to express its duration, the structure is slightly different. You typically put the duration after the verb, often with a reduplicated verb or a specific structure.

Notice the repetition of the verb 'run' (跑...跑) or the use of specific verb-object structures when indicating duration for an action that has finished but had a length.

§ Saying 'Every Minute' or 'Per Minute'

When you want to say 'every minute' or 'per minute', you don't typically use 分钟 (fēn zhōng) directly with 每 (měi - every). Instead, you'll usually see 每分 (měi fēn) or slightly different phrasing.

Common Way

每分钟 (měi fēn zhōng)

Example Context

心跳每分钟跳七十次。(Xīntiào měi fēn zhōng tiào qī shí cì.) — The heart beats seventy times per minute.

In this specific context, 每分钟 (měi fēn zhōng) is common and correct. Just be aware that 'minute' in other 'per X' contexts might not always use the full 分钟 (fēn zhōng).

• **Practice with sentences:** Try to create your own sentences focusing on the duration of actions.
• **Listen carefully:** Pay attention to how native speakers use 分钟 (fēn zhōng) in different contexts, especially with 了 (le) and when indicating ongoing versus completed actions.

In Chinese, when you want to talk about 'minutes', the word you'll use is 分钟 (fēnzhōng). It's a straightforward word and super common, so you'll hear it all the time. Let's break down how to use it and look at some similar words.

§ What does 分钟 (fēnzhōng) mean?

DEFINITION

Minute.

It's pretty simple: it means 'minute', just like in English. You use it to specify durations of time or points in time. It's always paired with a number.

§ How to use 分钟 (fēnzhōng) in sentences

You'll typically see a number before 分钟 (fēnzhōng). For example, 'five minutes' would be '五分钟 (wǔ fēnzhōng).

You can also use it to say 'how many minutes'.

§ Similar words and when to use them

While 分钟 (fēnzhōng) is your go-to for 'minute', there are a few other time-related words you should know. It's important to understand the differences to avoid sounding awkward.

• 分 (fēn): This is the shortened version of 分钟 (fēnzhōng). You'll often hear it in casual conversation, especially when telling time. However, when talking about a duration, 分钟 (fēnzhōng) is generally preferred as it's more complete and less ambiguous.

• 小时 (xiǎoshí): This means 'hour'. Just like 分钟 (fēnzhōng), you put a number before it.

• 时间 (shíjiān): This is a more general word meaning 'time' or 'period of time'. You wouldn't use it to count specific minutes or hours, but rather to talk about time in a broader sense.

The key takeaway is that 分钟 (fēnzhōng) is specifically for counting minutes. If you're talking about a duration of minutes, use 分钟 (fēnzhōng). If you're telling the time, 分 (fēn) is common. For hours, use 小时 (xiǎoshí). And for the general concept of time, use 时间 (shíjiān).

Keep practicing with numbers and these time words, and you'll get the hang of it quickly!