GrammarJLPT N5
〜じ
→ hour
Telling Time (O'clock / Hour)
JLPT N5SuffixNeutral
〜時 (じ) is a suffix attached to numbers to express clock time, equivalent to "o'clock" in English. It is one of the most fundamental time expressions in Japanese and is used whenever you want to state what hour something happens or what time it currently is. 〜時 tells you the specific point on the clock, as opposed to 〜時間 (じかん), which counts the duration of hours. For example, 三時 means "three o'clock," while 三時間 means "three hours." Some numbers undergo phonetic changes when combined with 〜時: notably, 4 becomes よじ (not よんじ), 7 becomes しちじ (not ななじ), and 9 becomes くじ (not きゅうじ). 〜時 can also function as a noun taking the particle の to modify other nouns, as in 三時のバス (the three o'clock bus).
Examples
Example #1
今、三時です。いま、 さんじ です。
This is the most basic use of 〜時, where it is attached to the number 3 to form 三時 (さんじ), meaning "three o'clock." Combined with 今 (now) and the copula です, this creates a simple statement about the current time. No particle is needed between 今 and the time expression in casual or neutral speech.It's three o'clock now.
Structures
- Number + 時
- Number (1–12) + 時 (じ)
- Full time expression
- Number + 時 + Number + 分 (ふん/ぷん)
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is confusing 〜時 (じ, a point in time / o'clock) with 〜時間 (じかん, duration of hours). Saying 三時勉強しました without 間 would sound like you studied at three o'clock rather than for three hours. Another frequent error involves irregular readings: 4時 must be read as よじ (not よんじ), 7時 as しちじ (not ななじ), and 9時 as くじ (not きゅうじ). Learners also sometimes forget the particle に when indicating the time of an action, saying 七時起きます instead of the correct 七時に起きます. Finally, beginners occasionally confuse 〜時 with 〜ごろ, which means "around (a time)"; 三時 is exactly three o'clock, while 三時ごろ is approximately three o'clock.
Related
〜時間〜分〜半〜ごろ〜時に〜前・〜後