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Kanji lesson 2

JLPT N5 Kanji: Time and Dates

Use eight high-value characters to read basic clock times, parts of the day, and expressions such as “today,” “this month,” and “this year.”

Level
Beginner
Kanji
8
Study time
About 30 minutes

Quick answer

Begin with complete time words

The same character may sound different in another word. Read the whole expression first, then notice the reading each kanji contributes.

  • 今日(きょう)

    today

  • 今月(こんげつ)

    this month

  • 今年(ことし)

    this year

  • 一時(いちじ)

    one o’clock

  • 三時(さんじ)

    three o’clock

  • 五分(ごふん)

    five minutes

  • 十分(じゅっぷん)

    ten minutes

  • 八時半(はちじはん)

    half past eight

  • 午前(ごぜん)

    a.m.; morning

  • 午後(ごご)

    p.m.; afternoon

Eight core characters

日 月 年 時 分 半 午 今

The priority readings below are chosen for beginner usefulness. The vocabulary shows where each reading belongs.

日

Curriculum #2

day / sun

4 strokes

Important readings

  • Kun'yomiひ・-かThe date reading changes inside whole words.
  • On'yomiニチ

Useful words

  • 日(ひ)

    day; sun

  • 三日(みっか)

    the third day; three days

    Learn this date reading as a complete word.

  • 日曜日(にちようび)

    Sunday

Example sentence

日曜日に休みます。(にちようびにやすみます。)
I rest on Sunday.
月

Curriculum #13

month / moon

4 strokes

Important readings

  • Kun'yomiつき
  • On'yomiゲツ・ガツThe on-reading changes with the word.

Useful words

  • 月(つき)

    moon

  • 月曜日(げつようび)

    Monday

  • 一月(いちがつ)

    January

Example sentence

月を見ます。(つきをみます。)
I look at the moon.
年

Curriculum #55

year

6 strokes

Important readings

  • Kun'yomiとし
  • On'yomiネン

Useful words

  • 年(とし)

    year

  • 今年(ことし)

    this year

    Learn this reading as a whole word.

  • 来年(らいねん)

    next year

Example sentence

今年は日本語を学びます。(ことしはにほんごをまなびます。)
I will study Japanese this year.
時

Curriculum #50

time

10 strokes

Important readings

  • Kun'yomiとき
  • On'yomiジ

Useful words

  • 時(とき)

    time; occasion

  • 一時(いちじ)

    one o’clock

  • 何時(なんじ)

    what time

  • 時計(とけい)

    clock; watch

    This common word has a special whole-word reading.

Example sentence

今は三時です。(いまはさんじです。)
It is three o’clock now.
分

Curriculum #52

minute

4 strokes

Important readings

  • On'yomiフン・プンThe sound changes with the number; compare the words for five minutes and ten minutes.

Useful words

  • 十分(じゅっぷん)

    ten minutes

    The minute counter changes sound after some numbers.

  • 五分(ごふん)

    five minutes

  • 半分(はんぶん)

    half

Example sentence

駅まで五分です。(えきまでごふんです。)
It is five minutes to the station.
半

Curriculum #53

half

5 strokes

Important readings

  • On'yomiハン

Useful words

  • 半分(はんぶん)

    half

  • 八時半(はちじはん)

    half past eight

  • 半年(はんとし)

    half a year

Example sentence

今は八時半です。(いまははちじはんです。)
It is half past eight now.
午

Curriculum #58

noon

4 strokes

Important readings

  • On'yomiゴ

Useful words

  • 午前(ごぜん)

    a.m.; morning

  • 午後(ごご)

    p.m.; afternoon

  • 正午(しょうご)

    noon

Example sentence

午前に学校へ行きます。(ごぜんにがっこうへいきます。)
I go to school in the morning.
今

Curriculum #27

now

4 strokes

Important readings

  • Kun'yomiいま
  • On'yomiコン

Useful words

  • 今(いま)

    now

  • 今日(きょう)

    today

    Learn this common reading as a whole word.

  • 今月(こんげつ)

    this month

Example sentence

今、本を読みます。(いま、ほんをよみます。)
I am reading a book now.

Build a clock time

Put a number before 時 for an hour:一時(いちじ),三時(さんじ), and八時(はちじ).

Add 分 for minutes. Its counter pronunciation changes:五分(ごふん) but十分(じゅっぷん). Learn each useful combination aloud.

半 means “half,” so八時半(はちじはん)is half past eight.

Before and after noon

午前 and 午後

午前 ごぜん
a.m.; morning
午後 ごご
p.m.; afternoon

In a time expression, 午前八時 is 8 a.m. and午後三時 is 3 p.m.

Read in context

Four short original examples

Read the Japanese first, use the furigana when needed, then check the English.

Example sentence

今日は月曜日です。(きょうはげつようびです。)
Today is Monday.

Example sentence

今は三時です。(いまはさんじです。)
It is three o’clock now.

Example sentence

午前八時に学校へ行きます。(ごぜんはちじにがっこうへいきます。)
I go to school at eight a.m.

Example sentence

今年は日本語を学びます。(ことしはにほんごをまなびます。)
I will study Japanese this year.

Check your recall

Time and date reading check

Try each question before opening the answer. These checks work without JavaScript.

  1. 今月 What does this word mean, and how is it read?

    Show answer

    こんげつIt means “this month.”

  2. 八時半 Read this time expression.

    Show answer

    はちじはんIt means “half past eight.”

  3. 午後 Is this before or after noon?

    Show answer

    ごごIt means p.m. or afternoon—after noon.

  4. 今日 Why should this be learned as a whole word?

    Show answer

    きょうIts common reading is not predicted by simply joining the most familiar readings of the two characters.

Continue with the full Time & Calendar group

This first lesson stops at eight high-value characters. The complete group also includes週・間・毎・前・後・朝・昼・夕・夜. You can review those characters in the 120-kanji hub now; later lessons will bring them back in useful words and contexts.

Return to the hub for topic review, or revisit the readings lesson whenever a word uses an unexpected sound.

Return to all 120 kanji