Learn basic Japanese vocabulary related to time
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| 十時 (jū-ji) |
| 三時 (san-ji) |
| 七時 (shichi-ji) |
| What do these words mean? Stick around. |
| In this quick lesson, you’ll learn Japanese vocabulary for hours. |
| Before we start, did you know that in Japan, you might see signs for stores closing at 25:00, 26:00, or even 27:00? Why is that? |
| Keep watching for the answer at the end. |
| 一時 (ichi-ji) |
| "1 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 一時 (ichi-ji) |
| 一時 (ichi-ji) |
| A.M. is 午前 (gozen), and P.M. is 午後 (gogo). |
| For example: 午前1時 (1 A.M.), 午後1時 (1 P.M.). |
| Jack and Steve make plans for lunch. |
| Jack: スティーブさんも一時に昼ご飯を食べますか。 (Sutību-san mo ichi-ji ni hirugohan o tabemasu ka.) |
| Steve: はい、一緒に食べに行きましょう！ (Hai, issho ni tabe ni ikimashō!) |
| 二時 (ni-ji) |
| "2 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 二時 (ni-ji) |
| 二時 (ni-ji) |
| Ushi-mitsu-doki (丑三つ時) is Japan’s version of the witching hour—around 2:00 to 2:30 AM. |
| It’s believed to be the time when spirits and supernatural forces are most active. |
| If you wake up at 2 AM in Japan… |
| you just might be in Ushi-mitsu-doki. |
| Oscar invites Emily to see a movie. |
| Oscar: この映画を見ましょう。二時に始まります。 (Kono eiga o mimashō. Ni-ji ni hajimarimasu.) |
| Emily: 映画、大好きです。行きましょう！ (Eiga, daisuki desu. Ikimashō!) |
| 三時 (san-ji) |
| "3 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 三時 (san-ji) |
| 三時 (san-ji) |
| Many bank counters in Japan close by 3 PM, so be careful. |
| Lina confirms a meeting time with Susan. |
| Lina: 約束は三時ですよね。遅れないでくださいね。 (Yakusoku wa san-ji desu yo ne. Okurenaide kudasai ne.) |
| Susan: 時間通りに行きます。 (Jikandōri ni ikimasu.) |
| 四時 (yo-ji*) |
| "4 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 四時 (yo-ji*) |
| 四時 (yo-ji*) |
| It’s よじ (yo-ji), you don’t say しじ (shi-ji), even though it can be read that way. |
| Emily and Oscar chat about a concert that they'll attend. |
| Emily: ショーは四時に始まります。 (Shō wa yo-ji ni hajimarimasu.) |
| Oscar: 楽しみです。 (Tanoshimi desu.) |
| 五時 (go-ji) |
| "5 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 五時 (go-ji) |
| 五時 (go-ji) |
| The typical closing time for post offices in Japan is 5 PM. |
| Jack reminds Steve about their dinner reservation. |
| Jack: もうすぐ食事の時間です。夕食は五時です。 (Mōsugu shokuji no jikan desu. Yūshoku wa go-ji desu.) |
| Steve: 分かりました。もうおなかがすいています。 (Wakarimashita. Mō onaka ga suite imasu.) |
| 六時 (roku-ji) |
| "6 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 六時 (roku-ji) |
| 六時 (roku-ji) |
| It is 6時 (roku-ji) or 18時 (jūhachi-ji)." |
| In Japan, both the 12-hour and 24-hour systems are commonly used. |
| Oscar talks about his exercise schedule with Emily. |
| Oscar: 私は六時にジョギングに行きます。 (Watashi wa roku-ji ni jogingu ni ikimasu.) |
| Emily: ジョギングは健康にいいですね。 (Jogingu wa kenkō ni ii desu ne.) |
| 七時 (shichi-ji) |
| "7 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 七時 (shichi-ji) |
| 七時 (shichi-ji) |
| The morning rush hour in Tokyo is from around 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM. |
| If you're traveling with a suitcase, it's better to avoid this time as the trains can get very crowded. |
| Lina discusses her morning routine with Susan. |
| Lina: 私はいつも七時に起きます。 (Watashi wa itsumo shichi-ji ni okimasu.) |
| Susan: 早いですね！ (Hayai desu ne!) |
| 八時 (hachi-ji) |
| "8 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 八時 (hachi-ji) |
| 八時 (hachi-ji) |
| In some movie theaters, tickets for after 8 PM may be discounted. |
| This is called a "late show," and you can watch the movie at a lower price compared to regular tickets. |
| Steve tells Jack about a new store's opening hours. |
| Steve: 近くに新しいお店があります。八時に開きます。 (Chikaku ni atarashii o-mise ga arimasu. Hachi-ji ni akimasu.) |
| Jack: よかったです！買いたい物がいくつかあります。 (Yokatta desu! Kaitai mono ga ikutsuka arimasu.) |
| 九時 (ku-ji) |
| "9 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 九時 (ku-ji) |
| 九時 (ku-ji) |
| Although the number 9 is usually read as "kyuu" in Japanese, |
| when telling time, "9 o’clock" is read as "kuji"（くじ）, not "kyuuji". |
| Emily invites Oscar to watch a movie together. |
| Emily: 新しい映画を見ましょう。九時に始まります。 (Atarashii eiga o mimashō. Ku-ji ni hajimarimasu.) |
| Oscar: ちょうどいい時間ですね。見に行きましょう。 (Chōdo ii jikan desu ne. Mi ni ikimashō.) |
| 十時 (jū-ji) |
| "10 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 十時 (jū-ji) |
| 十時 (jū-ji) |
| Have you ever noticed that clocks in ads or commercials often display 10:10? |
| This is because the time creates a balanced, symmetrical look, with the hands forming a 'V' shape that resembles a smile, making it visually appealing. |
| Lina talks to Susan about a concert she's attending. |
| Lina: 今夜が楽しみです。十時からコンサートです。 (Kon'ya ga tanoshimi desu. Jū-ji kara konsāto desu.) |
| Susan: 楽しんでください！ (Tanoshinde kudasai!) |
| 十一時 (jū ichi-ji) |
| "11 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 十一時 (jū ichi-ji) |
| 十一時 (jū ichi-ji) |
| In Japan, many restaurants start serving lunch around 11:00 or 11:30, a bit earlier than in some Western countries. |
| Jack shares his nightly routine with Steve. |
| Jack: リラックスするために、たいてい十一時に本を読みます。 (Rirakkusu suru tame ni, taitei jū ichi-ji ni hon o yomimasu.) |
| Steve: 読書はリラックスするのにいい方法ですね。 (Dokusho wa rirakkusu suru no ni ii hōhō desu ne.) |
| 十二時 (jū ni-ji) |
| "12 o'clock" |
| [SLOW] 十二時 (jū ni-ji) |
| 十二時 (jū ni-ji) |
| Midnight 12:00 o'clock also called as 零時 (れいじ). |
| Susan tells Lina about her bedtime. |
| Susan: 私は寝るのが遅いです。十二時に寝ます。 (Watashi wa neru no ga osoi desu. Jū ni-ji ni nemasu.) |
| Lina: それはかなり遅いですね。私はいつも、もう少し早く寝ます。 (Sore wa kanari osoi desu ne. Watashi wa itsumo, mō sukoshi hayaku nemasu.) |
| Let's review. |
| You'll see the words in English and your job is to say the words in Japanese. |
| Ready? |
| Do you remember how to say "1 o'clock"? |
| 一時 (ichi-ji) |
| 一時 (ichi-ji) |
| And how to say "2 o'clock"? |
| 二時 (ni-ji) |
| 二時 (ni-ji) |
| How about "3 o'clock"? |
| 三時 (san-ji) |
| 三時 (san-ji) |
| Do you remember how to say "4 o'clock"? |
| 四時 (yo-ji*) |
| 四時 (yo-ji*) |
| And how to say "5 o'clock"? |
| 五時 (go-ji) |
| 五時 (go-ji) |
| What about "6 o'clock"? |
| 六時 (roku-ji) |
| 六時 (roku-ji) |
| Let's try "7 o'clock"! |
| 七時 (shichi-ji) |
| 七時 (shichi-ji) |
| Now, let's see if you remember how to say "8 o'clock"! |
| 八時 (hachi-ji) |
| 八時 (hachi-ji) |
| What about "9 o'clock"? |
| 九時 (ku-ji) |
| 九時 (ku-ji) |
| Do you remember how to say "10 o'clock"? |
| 十時 (jū-ji) |
| 十時 (jū-ji) |
| And how to say "11 o'clock"? |
| 十一時 (jū ichi-ji) |
| 十一時 (jū ichi-ji) |
| And finally, do you remember how to say "12 o'clock"? |
| 十二時 (jū ni-ji) |
| 十二時 (jū ni-ji) |
| Did you know that in Japan, you might see signs for stores closing at 25:00, 26:00, or even 27:00? Why is that? |
| These times are not typos! In Japan, some shops sometimes add numbers to the regular 24-hour clock instead of using AM and PM to emphasize that they're open until very late. So, 25:00 actually means 1:00 AM, 26:00 is 2:00 AM, and so on. It's a handy way to keep track of time when the clock goes past midnight! |
| Thanks for watching! Don't forget to practice these new words and phrases, and see you next time! |
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