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九点 (jiǔ diǎn) — nine o'clock

Definition

Tells time on the hour: 9:00. 点 (diǎn) is the standard Mandarin word for 'o'clock'; 9:30 is 九点半, not 九点三十.

noun
nine o'clock

Examples

  • 九点。
    Xiàn zài jiǔ diǎn le.
    It's nine o'clock now.
  • 九点。
    Wǒ men jiǔ diǎn jiàn miàn.
    We'll meet at nine.
  • 九点。
    jiǔ diǎn Dào shí èr diǎn shàng kè.
    Class is from nine to twelve.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

九jiǔnine
点diǎno'clock

九 gives the number and 点 marks the hour, making nine o'clock.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape comes from a stylized hand bent at the wrist, with the lower-right hook showing the bend. Later, it was taken to show a tightened fist bumping up to ten, giving the number nine.

Open 九 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →
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