五点十五分用英语怎么说

It is common knowledge that every country has its own unique way of telling time. In China, people use the 24-hour clock system to indicate the time of day. However, when it comes to expressing the time in oral communication, people often use the 12-hour clock system. For example, “五点十五分” refers to 5:15 p.m. in the 12-hour clock system. In this article, we will explore different ways to express “五点十五分” in English.

1. Five fifteen p.m.

The easiest and most common way to express “五点十五分” in English is to use the 12-hour clock system. In this case, we would say, “five fifteen p.m.”, just like we would say “six o’clock p.m.” or “three thirty p.m.” The only difference is that we use “fifteen” instead of “thirty” or “forty-five”.

It’s important to note that when using the 12-hour clock system, we use “a.m.” for times from midnight to noon, and “p.m.” for times from noon to midnight. So, “五点十五分” can also be expressed as “five fifteen in the afternoon” or “five fifteen p.m.”

2. Quarter past five

Another way to express “五点十五分” in English is to use the phrase “quarter past five”. This phrase is derived from the fact that “quarter” means 15 minutes in time. So, “quarter past five” literally means 15 minutes past five. It’s a more casual and informal way of expressing the time.

It’s worth noting that we use the phrase “quarter past” only when the time is between 12:00 and 6:00. For example, if it’s 5:15 a.m., we can say “quarter past five” or “five fifteen a.m.” But if it’s 5:45 p.m., we would say “quarter to six” instead.

3. Five fifteen in the evening

When we say “五点十五分” in Chinese, we often use the word “晚上” to indicate that it’s in the evening. In English, we can use the phrase “in the evening” to convey the same meaning. So, “五点十五分” can be expressed as “five fifteen in the evening” or “five fifteen in the night”.

However, it’s worth noting that the phrase “in the night” is less commonly used than “in the evening”. “In the night” is usually used to describe events that happen during the night, rather than the time of day.

4. Five fifteen post meridiem

If you want to be more formal or precise in expressing “五点十五分”, you can use the Latin term “post meridiem” (abbreviated as “p.m.”) to indicate that it’s in the afternoon or evening. So, “五点十五分” can be expressed as “five fifteen post meridiem”.

It’s worth noting that using “post meridiem” is more commonly used in formal writing, such as business letters or academic papers, rather than casual conversation.