Telling Time in Japanese (Hours, Minutes & Duration)
Japan is known as one of the most time-disciplined countries in the world. A train running one minute late can become national news. Asking and stating time in Japanese is not only a language skill—it also helps you adapt and be respected in Japanese society.
In this article you will learn how to say hours, minutes, seconds, and duration. Watch out: minute readings have sound changes that often trip beginners.
1. Hours (Ji - 時)
To state the hour: number + Ji (時). Watch 4, 7, and 9—their readings differ from ordinary counting.
| Time | Kanji | Reading (romaji) | Warning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | 一時 | Ichiji | - |
| 2:00 | 二時 | Niji | - |
| 3:00 | 三時 | Sanji | - |
| 4:00 | 四時 | Yoji | Not Yonji/Shiji |
| 5:00 | 五時 | Goji | - |
| 6:00 | 六時 | Rokuji | - |
| 7:00 | 七時 | Shichiji | Not Nanaji |
| 8:00 | 八時 | Hachiji | - |
| 9:00 | 九時 | Kuji | Not Kyuuji |
| 10:00 | 十時 | Juuji | - |
| 11:00 | 十一時 | Juuichiji | - |
| 12:00 | 十二時 | Juuniji | - |
Question: “What time is it?” = 何時 (Nanji).
2. Minutes (Fun/Pun - 分)
This is the hardest part. The minute unit 分 is read Fun or Pun depending on the number before it. The change is phonetic and makes pronunciation easier.
Basic rules:
- 2, 5, 7, 9 use Fun.
- 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 use Pun (often with a small tsu / sokuon).
| Minutes | Kanji | Reading | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一分 | Ippun | Small tsu + pun |
| 2 | 二分 | Nifun | - |
| 3 | 三分 | Sanpun | Uses ‘pun’ without small tsu |
| 4 | 四分 | Yonpun | - |
| 5 | 五分 | Gofun | - |
| 6 | 六分 | Roppun | Small tsu + pun |
| 7 | 七分 | Nanafun | - |
| 8 | 八分 | Happun | Small tsu + pun |
| 9 | 九分 | Kyuufun | - |
| 10 | 十分 | Juppun | Small tsu + pun |
What about teens and tens? Follow the last digit’s rule.
- 15 minutes = Juu-gofun (follows 5).
- 20 minutes = Ni-juppun (follows 10).
- 30 minutes = San-juppun.
Half hour: For “thirty past,” you can use Han (半).
- 5:30 = 五時半 (Goji Han).
Question: “How many minutes?” = 何分 (Nanpun).
3. AM and PM (Gozen & Gogo)
Japan uses both 12-hour and 24-hour formats. In casual speech, 12-hour is common, with the period marker before the hour.
- AM (before 12:00) = 午前 (Gozen).
- PM (after 12:00) = 午後 (Gogo).
Structure: [Gozen/Gogo] + [hour]
- 7 a.m. = 午前七時 (Gozen Shichiji).
- 8 p.m. = 午後八時 (Gogo Hachiji).
Careful: do not reverse the order. “Hachiji Gogo” confuses Japanese speakers.
4. Seconds (Byou - 秒)
Seconds are relatively easy—no weird sound changes. Just number + Byou.
- 10 seconds = 十秒 (Juubyou).
- 30 seconds = 三十秒 (Sanjuubyou).
5. Duration (Kikan - 期間)
Separate a point in time (“What time?”) from duration (“How long?”). For duration, add Kan (間) after the hour unit.
Hour duration
- 1:00 (one o’clock) = Ichiji.
- 1 hour (for one hour) = 一時間 (Ichijikan).
Formula: number + Jikan.
- 2 hours = Nijikan.
- 4 hours = Yojikan.
- How many hours? = 何時間 (Nanjikan).
Minute duration
For minutes the word is the same as the clock form (Fun/Pun). “Kan” can be added for clarity but is optional.
- 5 minutes = Gofun / Gofunkan.
- 30 minutes = Sanjuppun / Sanjuppunkan.
6. More time vocabulary
These words make conversation more natural:
- Now = 今 (Ima).
- Exactly = 丁度 (Choudo).
- Sanji choudo = exactly 3:00.
- About / around = 頃 (Goro) — for a point in time.
- Sanji goro = around 3:00.
- About / around = ぐらい (Gurai) — for duration.
- Sanjikan gurai = about 3 hours.
- Before = 前 (Mae).
- Juuji gofun mae = 5 minutes before 10:00.
- Past / after = 過ぎ (Sugi).
- Juuji gofun sugi = 5 minutes past 10:00.
7. Conversation examples
Conversation 1: Asking the time
A: Excuse me, what time is it? すみません、今何時ですか？ (Sumimasen, ima nanji desu ka?)
B: It’s 2:10. 二時十分です。 (Niji juppun desu.)
A: Thank you. ありがとうございます。
Conversation 2: Making an appointment
A: What time does the bank open and close? 銀行は何時から何時までですか？ (Ginkou wa nanji kara nanji made desu ka?)
B: From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 午前九時から午後三時までです。 (Gozen kuji kara gogo sanji made desu.)
Conversation 3: Travel duration
A: How many hours does it take from Jakarta to Tokyo? ジャカルタから東京まで何時間かかりますか？ (Jakaruta kara Toukyou made nanjikan kakarimasu ka?)
B: About 7 hours by plane. 飛行機で七時間ぐらいです。 (Hikouki de shichijikan gurai desu.)
8. Culture: the 5-minute rule
In Japan there is an unwritten rule called "5-fun mae koudou" (5分前行動)—“act five minutes early.” If work starts at 9:00, you are expected at your desk ready by 8:55. Arriving exactly at 9:00 often feels late—or at least cutting it close.
So if you plan to meet a Japanese person at 10:00, aim for 09:50 or 09:55.
9. Practice: Check Your Understanding
Q1: How do you say “4 p.m.” in Japanese?
Answer: 午後四時 (Gogo yoji — remember, not “yonji”!)
Q2: How do you say “9:10”?
Answer: 九時十分 (Kuji juppun)
Q3: Translate: “I study for 2 hours every day.”
Answer: 毎日二時間勉強します。(Mainichi nijikan benkyou shimasu.)
Q4: What is the difference between “Goro” and “Gurai”?
Answer: Goro (頃) is for a point in time (Sanji goro = around 3:00). Gurai (ぐらい) is for duration/amount (Sanjikan gurai = about 3 hours).
10. Time vocabulary
| Form | Romaji | Meaning | Word class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 時 | ji | hour (point in time) | counter |
| 分 / 分 | fun / pun | minute | counter |
| 秒 | byou | second | counter |
| 午前 | gozen | morning / AM | noun |
| 午後 | gogo | afternoon / PM | noun |
| 時間 | jikan | hour (duration) | counter |
| 半 | han | half | noun |
| 今 | ima | now | noun |
| 丁度 | choudo | exactly | adverb |
| 頃 | goro | around (point in time) | suffix |
| ぐらい | gurai | about (duration) | suffix |
| 前 | mae | before | noun/suffix |
| 過ぎ | sugi | past / after | suffix |
| 何時 | nanji | what time? | question word |
| 何分 | nanpun | how many minutes? | question word |
| 何時間 | nanjikan | how many hours? | question word |
| 銀行 | ginkou | bank | noun |
| 飛行機 | hikouki | airplane | noun |
| 毎日 | mainichi | every day | noun |
| 勉強 | benkyou | study | suru verb |
11. Daily drill: keep time talk natural
Do not stop at memorizing tables. Practice in real situations every day. This simple routine works well:
- Say the current time in Japanese every 2–3 hours.
- When you make plans, say both the start time and the duration.
Example: 午後七時から一時間勉強します。 - Use
ごろandぐらいon purpose. Do not mix them up.
One-minute mini drill:
- “What time is it now?”
- “What time does it start?”
- “How long does it take?”
- “What time does it finish?”
If you can answer these four spontaneously, your time language is already functional for everyday conversation.
Conclusion
Telling time in Japanese is full of sound-change traps, especially for minutes. Remember these points:
- Hours: number + 時. Watch 4 (Yo-ji), 7 (Shichi-ji), and 9 (Ku-ji).
- Minutes: choose Fun or Pun by the number — 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 use Pun with various changes.
- Duration: add Kan (間) — e.g. Ichi-ji-kan = 1 hour, Ni-ji-kan = 2 hours.
- Goro vs Gurai: Goro for a point in time, Gurai for duration.
- Culture: remember 5-fun mae koudou — arrive five minutes early!
Related reading:
頑張って！ (Ganbatte / Keep going!)
Previous: ← Japanese numbers
Next: Dates in Japanese →