一共多少钱？
yígòng duōshao qián?
How much in total?
How to ask "What time is it?" in Chinese
现在几点？
xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
What time is it?
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
The phrase is 现在 (now) + 几点 (what time) + ？ (question mark). 几 means "how many" and 点 means "o'clock," so 几点 literally asks "how many o'clock?" There's no verb needed.
Variations and politeness
现在几点钟？
xiànzài jǐ diǎn zhōng?
What time is it now? — Adding 钟 makes it slightly more formal.
你知道现在几点吗？
nǐ zhīdào xiànzài jǐ diǎn ma?
Do you know what time it is now? — A more conversational way to ask.
几点了？
jǐ diǎn le?
What time is it? — A short, informal version.
Mini dialogue
A
现在几点？
xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
What time is it?
B
现在是三点半。
xiànzài shì sān diǎn bàn.
It's half past three.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you need to know the current time in any everyday situation.
- When you want a neutral, polite way to ask, suitable for strangers or acquaintances.
- When you are in a Chinese-speaking environment and need to check the time quickly.
Avoid when
- When you want to ask about a specific event's time, like 'What time does the movie start?' – use a different structure.
- When you are asking for the time in a very formal written context; this is mainly spoken.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'What time is it?' in Chinese?
You say '现在几点？' (xiànzài jǐ diǎn?). It literally means 'now how many o'clock?'
How do you pronounce '现在几点？'?
It is pronounced 'xiànzài jǐ diǎn?' with a falling tone on 'xiàn', a falling tone on 'zài', a falling-rising tone on 'jǐ', and a falling-rising tone on 'diǎn'.
When should I use '现在几点？' instead of other time questions?
Use it whenever you want to know the current time. It is the most common and neutral way to ask, appropriate in almost all situations.
More phrases for this situation
Tomyo
Learn Chinese with spaced repetition
Remember 现在几点？ and hundreds of other phrases with smart reviews, audio and examples.