Understanding ～時
The suffix ～時 (～じ) is used to indicate the hour in telling time. It attaches directly to a number representing the hour, such as 1時 (いちじ) for 1 o'clock or 10時 (じゅうじ) for 10 o'clock. This is one of the most basic and essential time expressions in Japanese.
Usage in Sentences
You will often see ～時 combined with particles like に to specify the exact time when something happens, for example, ９時に (at 9 o'clock). Without に, ～時 can simply state the current time or the hour.
Common Collocations and Patterns
- ～時に: indicates the exact time when an action occurs (e.g., ７時に起きる - wake up at 7 o'clock).
- ～時から: indicates the starting time (e.g., ５時から授業 - class from 5 o'clock).
- ～時まで: indicates the ending time (e.g., ８時まで働く - work until 8 o'clock).
Tips for Learners
Remember that ～時 only marks the hour. To express minutes, you need to add 分 (ふん/ぷん) after the number of minutes, for example, ３時１５分 (3:15). Also, be careful not to confuse ～時 with 時 (とき) meaning "time" or "when" in a different grammatical context.
Using ～時 correctly will help you talk about schedules, appointments, and daily routines naturally in Japanese.