九点一 (jiǔ diǎn yī) — (time) 9:10, ten past nine

Definition

A colloquial way to say 9:10 — short for 九点十分. Used in speech and casual writing; formal schedules and announcements use 九点十分 instead.

numeral
(time) 9:10ten past nine

Examples

  • 九点一，。
    Xiàn zài shì jiǔ diǎn yī, wǒ men gāi shàng kè le.
    It's 9:10 now; we should start class.
  • 九点一。
    Tā měi tiān zǎo shàng jiǔ diǎn yī dào bàn gōng shì.
    He arrives at the office at 9:10 every morning.
  • 九点一。
    jiǔ diǎn yī De huǒ chē yǐ jīng kāi zǒu le.
    The 9:10 train has already left.

Origin

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 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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