十二点一 (shí èr diǎn yī) — (time) 12:01, one minute past twelve

Definition

A specific clock time: 12:01, one minute after twelve. (This exact minute is almost never taught — the model is 12 o'clock, not 12:01.)

numeral
(time) 12:01one minute past twelve

Examples

  • 十二点一。
    Xiàn zài gāng guò shí èr diǎn yī.
    It's just past 12:01 right now.
  • 十二点一。
    Tā měi tiān shí èr diǎn yī zhǔn shí dào.
    She arrives promptly at 12:01 every day.
  • 十二点一。
    Wǒ men zài shí èr diǎn yī jiàn miàn ba.
    Let's meet at 12:01.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The early shape 十 was mostly a single vertical stroke, sometimes with a dot, and later gained a horizontal stroke to form a cross. For the number ten, it marked the next digit above one.

Open 十 →

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

二 is drawn as two parallel strokes, where the number of strokes shows the amount.

Open 二 →

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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