Learn to Tell Time in Chinese: O’Clock, Half Past & Quarter Hours

Help children learn to tell time in Chinese with 48 sets of Montessori 3-part flashcards.

The cards start with simple o’clock times and then introduce half-past and quarter-hour expressions. Children can learn by looking, matching, reading, and saying the time in Chinese.

This printable resource is ideal for Chinese teachers, homeschooling parents, and children learning Mandarin as an additional language.

What Will Children Learn?

Children learn how to express:

O’clock: 三点 = 3:00
Half past: 三点半 = 3:30
Quarter-hour times: 一点一刻, 一点三刻, 两点差一刻, and similar expressions

The cards include different ways of expressing quarter-hour times, so children can become familiar with these expressions naturally as they practise.

48 Sets of 3-Part Cards

12 O’Clock Sets

The first part of the resource includes **12 sets of 3-part cards** for o’clock times.

For example:

三点 = 3:00

36 Half-Past and Quarter-Hour Sets

The second part includes 36 sets of 3-part cards covering half-past and quarter-hour times.

Examples include:

三点半 = 3:30
一点一刻 = 1:15
一点三刻 = 1:45
两点差一刻 = 1:45

The cards introduce children to different ways of saying quarter-hour times in Chinese.

Each Set Includes 3-Part Cards

Each time expression has three matching cards:

• Picture Card — a clock showing the time
• Chinese Card — the Chinese time expression
• Control Card — the clock, Chinese, pinyin, and English

Children can match the three cards together and check their answers independently.

Two Printable Card Sizes Included

Every set is provided in two printable sizes:

2 Cards per Page

Larger cards that are easy for young children to hold and work with.

4 Cards per Page

Smaller cards that use less paper and work well for older children, individual practice, or classroom activities.

Simple Ways to Use the Cards

You can use the cards for:

•  Matching the clock to the Chinese expression
• Matching the Chinese card to the control card
• Practising reading Chinese time expressions
• Asking children, **“What time is it?”**
• Sorting and reviewing different time expressions
• Independent Montessori-style work
• Small-group or classroom activities

A Simple Learning Sequence

You don’t need to teach everything at once.

A simple sequence is:

1. Start with o’clock

一点、两点、三点……

2. Add half past

一点半、两点半、三点半……

3. Introduce quarter-hour times

一点一刻、两点一刻、三点三刻、两点差一刻……

Once children are comfortable with the basic patterns, they can practise the different expressions shown on the cards.

Perfect for Home or Classroom

These flashcards can be used by:

•  Chinese teachers
• Homeschooling parents
• Parents teaching Chinese at home
• Children learning Mandarin as an additional language
• Beginners learning how to tell time in Chinese

They are especially useful for hands-on practice because children can see the time, match the cards, and read the Chinese expression.

Digital Printable Product

This is a digital printable product. No physical cards will be shipped.

For longer-lasting cards, print them on thicker paper or laminate them after printing.

What You Get

You will receive:

• 48 sets of Chinese time 3-part cards
• 12 o’clock sets
• 36 half-past and quarter-hour sets
• 3 cards in each set
• 2 cards-per-page format
• 4 cards-per-page format
• Printable PDF files

Help Children Learn Chinese Time Step by Step

From simple 一点、两点、三点 to expressions such as 三点半、三点一刻 and 四点差一刻, these Montessori 3-part flashcards give children plenty of hands-on practice with Chinese time expressions.