Writing
刻 (kè) — how to say "quarter hour" in Chinese
刻
Quarter hour
noun measure word · verb
1. quarter of an hourHSK 3.0 · level 3
noun measure word
2. to carve; to engraveHSK 3.0 · level 5
verb
How to use it
Goes between a number (or 这/那) and the noun; a number can't attach to a noun without it.
现在三点一刻。
xiàn zài sān diǎn yī kè
It is a quarter past three now.
Radicals / Keys
刀
Knife
#18 · dāo · 2 strokes
Collocations
三点一刻
sān diǎn yī kè
a quarter past three
差一刻
chà yī kè
a quarter to
Examples
再等一刻我们就出发，大家先准备一下。
Wait another quarter hour and then we'll depart, everyone get ready first.
现在三点一刻。
It's a quarter past three now.
Mnemonic
[kè-] Kevin the Kangaroo 🦘 hops into a clock shop where he decides to carve 刻 "quarter hour" into the wooden walls with a sharp knife. Inside, he sees the 八 symbol, shaped like an hourglass, representing the swift passage of time. Kevin chuckles: "刻 - what a curious slice of time!"
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "quarter hour" in Chinese?
"quarter hour" in Chinese is 刻 (kè).
What does 刻 mean in English?
刻 (kè) means "Quarter hour".
How is 刻 pronounced?
It is pronounced kè (written as ke). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "quarter hour" in Chinese characters?
It is written 刻 and has 8 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 刻?
刻 belongs to the HSK 3 vocabulary list.
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