<p>When describing a point in time, e.g. &quot;12:02 pm&quot;, both <code>中午十二点零两分</code> and <code>中午十二点零二分</code> are correct, the only difference is that <code>零两分</code> is more colloquial while <code>零二分</code> is more literary.</p>
<p>When describing a length of time, e.g. &quot;12 hours and two minutes&quot;, it is more common to use the more colloquial <code>十二小時零兩分鐘</code> than <code>十二小時零二分鐘</code>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-27T17:45:06.270Z
2022-06-28T03:05:47.260Z
2022-06-28T03:05:47.260Z
Tang Ho
<p>You would say for 2:02pm as <code>下午兩點零二分</code>, but not for 12:02pm
<code>中午十兩點零兩分</code> is not correct, <code>中午十二點零二分</code> is the right way.</p>
<p>P.S. I live in Hong Kong, we might pronounce that differently in terms of wording than those in the Mainland China (Cantonese vs Mandarin)</p>
<p>P.P.S. fun fact, if you have ever have the chance to visit Hong Kong and buy a betting ticket with <a href="https://www.hkjc.com/home/chinese/index.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Hong Kong Jockey Club</a>, they would say <code>兩</code> for 2 in all circumstances (i.e. 22, they would say <code>兩十兩</code> instead of <code>二十二</code>) (which other occasions are not common)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-28T11:39:59.163Z
May I ask, in Hong Kong and about the betting ticket,  do you mean `貳`?
envs_h_gang_5
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-29T02:30:00.060Z
No, `貳` is just the obscure way of writing `二`, to prevent counterfeiting when dealing with numbers, so that numbers could not be altered by adding a single stroke (i.e. 1-> 10, `一` -> `十`)
chungonion
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-28T03:24:27.317Z
2022-06-28T03:25:22.440Z
2022-06-28T03:25:22.440Z
chungonion
<p>Both are correct, depending on the person. The following are my personal preferences and habits:</p>
<ol>
<li>Tell clock time:</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li><strong>12:05</strong> 十二點零五; <strong>12:10</strong> 十二點一十; <strong>12:15</strong> 十二點十五/一刻; <strong>12:30</strong> 十二點三十/半; <strong>12:45</strong> 十二點四十五/三刻; <strong>13:00</strong> 一點整.</li>
</ul>
<ol start="2">
<li>Accounting for a time period:</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>他用了<strong>三個鍾頭又五十八分鍾</strong>跑完全程,與世界紀錄相差<strong>兩分鍾</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<ol start="3">
<li>Mixed:</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>讓我們等<strong>五分鐘</strong>,十二點十五(分)再出發.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-27T19:34:33.377Z
2022-06-27T19:34:33.377Z
r13
<p>I want to say that it's 12:02 p.m. Which of the following (or none) is correct and why?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>现在中午十二点零<strong>两</strong>分</p>
</blockquote>
<p>or</p>
<blockquote>
<p>现在中午十二点零<strong>二</strong>分</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-28T05:12:29.823Z
I will vote `零二分`
shingo
<number><time>
Telling time: 零两分 vs 零二分
# Telling time: 零两分 vs 零二分

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-06-27)

I want to say that it's 12:02 p.m. Which of the following (or none) is correct and why?

> 现在中午十二点零**两**分

or

> 现在中午十二点零**二**分

**Tags:** number, time
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I will vote `零二分`  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-06-27. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

When describing a point in time, e.g. "12:02 pm", both `中午十二点零两分` and `中午十二点零二分` are correct, the only difference is that `零两分` is more colloquial while `零二分` is more literary.

When describing a length of time, e.g. "12 hours and two minutes", it is more common to use the more colloquial `十二小時零兩分鐘` than `十二小時零二分鐘`.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-06-28. Score: 3

You would say for 2:02pm as `下午兩點零二分`, but not for 12:02pm
`中午十兩點零兩分` is not correct, `中午十二點零二分` is the right way.

P.S. I live in Hong Kong, we might pronounce that differently in terms of wording than those in the Mainland China (Cantonese vs Mandarin)

P.P.S. fun fact, if you have ever have the chance to visit Hong Kong and buy a betting ticket with [The Hong Kong Jockey Club](https://www.hkjc.com/home/chinese/index.aspx), they would say `兩` for 2 in all circumstances (i.e. 22, they would say `兩十兩` instead of `二十二`) (which other occasions are not common)

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: May I ask, in Hong Kong and about the betting ticket,  do you mean `貳`?  
> **username_3**: No, `貳` is just the obscure way of writing `二`, to prevent counterfeiting when dealing with numbers, so that numbers could not be altered by adding a single stroke (i.e. 1-> 10, `一` -> `十`)  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2022-06-27. Score: 2

Both are correct, depending on the person. The following are my personal preferences and habits:

1. Tell clock time:

* **12:05** 十二點零五; **12:10** 十二點一十; **12:15** 十二點十五/一刻; **12:30** 十二點三十/半; **12:45** 十二點四十五/三刻; **13:00** 一點整.

2. Accounting for a time period:

* 他用了**三個鍾頭又五十八分鍾**跑完全程,與世界紀錄相差**兩分鍾**.

3. Mixed:

* 讓我們等**五分鐘**,十二點十五(分)再出發.


---

