Time, in Penang Hokkien

In Penang Hokkien, time can be expressed in both the colloquial as well as the literary way.

We have already been introduced the colloquial way of expressing time in the beginner's lesson on telling time. The colloquial method splits the hour (tiam1ceng1) into 12 segments based on the clock face. Each digit on the clock face is expressed as ji3 (word).

The literary method splits the hour into 60 minutes (hoon1). Of the two, naturally the literary way is more precise, as one can express time right down to the minute, which can then be split into 60 seconds (miau4). In this chapter, we learn to tell the time in Penang Hokkien. As a visitor to Penang, learning to tell time will be helpful when asking about the arrival and departure of transport such as buses, trains and planes. Listen to the video while you go through the lesson below.

Time / Speaking Pronunciation / Book Pronunciation

1:00 / it1 tiam4 / it1 tiam4
1:05 / it1 tiam4 cit3-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 gor33*-hoon1
1:10 / it1 tiam4 nor33-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 cap3-hoon1
1:15 / it1 tiam4 snar3-leh3 ji33 / it1 tiam4 cap3-gor33 hoon1
1:20 / it1 tiam4 see1-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 jee33-cap3 hoon1
1:25 / it1 tiam4 gor33-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 jee33-cap3-gor33 hoon1
1:30 / it1 tiam1pnua3 / it1 tiam1pnua3
1:35 / it1 tiam4 chit1-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 snar3-cap3-gor33 hoon1
1:40 / it1 tiam4 peik3-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 si1-cap3 hoon1
1:45 / it1 tiam4 kau1-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 si1-cap3-gor33 hoon1
1:50 / it1 tiam4 cap3-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 gor33-cap3 hoon1
1:55 / it1 tiam4 cap3-et1-leh3 ji3 / it1 tiam4 gor33-cap3-gor33 hoon1
2:00 / jee33 tiam4 / jee33 tiam4
3:00 / snar3 tiam4 / snar3 tiam4
4:00 / si1 tiam4 / si1 tiam4
5:00 / gor33 tiam4 / gor33 tiam4
6:00 / lark3 tiam4 / lark3 tiam4
7:00 / chit3 tiam4 / chit3 tiam4
8:00 / peik3 tiam4 / peik3 tiam4
9:00 / kau1 tiam4 / kau1 tiam4
10:00 / cap3 tiam4 / cap3 tiam4
11:00 / cap3-it1 tiam4 / cap3-it1 tiam4
12:00 / cap3-jee33 tiam4 / cap3-jee33 tiam4

* Tone 3 unsandiable morphemes are written with the tone 33. For details, read unsandiable morphemes.

Vocabulary

Time Time of Day

Reading the Clock

gor33-tiam4 norh3-leh3 ji3
(5.10)
jee33-tiam1pnua3
(2.30)
cap3-it1 tiam4 kau1-leh3 ji3
(11.45)
peik3-tiam4 si1-leh3 ji3
(8.20)
kau1-tiam4 peik1-leh3 ji3
(9.40)
chit1-tiam4
(7.00)

Expressions of Time

There is no AM or PM in Penang Hokkien. The time of day is expressed through context.

1. 7.30 in the morning: chit1 tiam1pnua3 ca1khi4
   
2. 5.00 in the afternoon: gor33 tiam4 ae3por1
   
3. 8.15 in the evening: peik1 tiam1pnua3 am1meh1
   
4. 12.00 midnight: cap3-jee3-tiam4-pnua1-meh2

Enhance your Penang Hokkien Vocabulary

Verbs related to time

1. tan4 [tan]: (verb) to wait
   
2. lai2 [lai]: (verb) to come
   
3. kau3 [kau]: (verb) to arrive
   
4. khee3 [k^hi]: (verb) to go away, to leave (by road)
   
5. poe1 [poe]: (verb) to fly, to depart (by flight)
   
6. poe1 khee3 [poe-k^hi]: (verb) to fly away
   
7. poe1 lai3 [poe-lai]: (verb) to fly here
   
8. poe1 khi4 [poe-k^hi]: (verb) to fly up
   
9. poe1 lok4 [poe-lok]: (verb) to fly down
   
10. leow3 [liau]: (verb) to finish
    
    

Adverbs related to time

1. liau4 [liau]: (particle) already, done, finished
   
2. ku4 [ku]: (adverb) long [time]
   
3. kokh3 [koʔ]: (adverb) yet, some more
   
4. ... boay?3 [boe]: (interrogative particle) already?
   
5. a1boay3 [a-boe]: (adverb) not yet
   
6. ... ni?4: (interrogative particle) how about?
   
7. pun1 [pun]: (adverb) also, often pronounced tun1 [tun]
   
8. ca4 [tsa]: (adverb) ago

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