How do you say "punctual" in Chinese?

准时

zhǔn shí

Adjective Hanzi

In Chinese, "punctual" is 准时 (zhǔn shí).

Listen to the pronunciation:

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Pronunciation

To get zhǔn shí right, aim for "zhǔn" dipped low then curled back up (third tone), then "shí" pushed upward like a question (second tone).

Writing and usage

准时 is written using hanzi. It's a adjective, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.

Example sentence

她总是准时参加会议。

tā zǒng shì zhǔn shí cān jiā huì yì 。

She is always punctual for meetings.

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How to remember 准时

Whisper "zhǔn shí" to yourself while picturing punctual; the sound and the image will fuse after a few tries.

Related words

Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.

Questions about 准时

How do you pronounce 准时?

To get zhǔn shí right, aim for "zhǔn" dipped low then curled back up (third tone), then "shí" pushed upward like a question (second tone).

Is 准时 formal or casual?

准时 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is 准时 used in Chinese?

准时 is used the same way as the equivalent English adjective. For example: 她总是准时参加会议。 (She is always punctual for meetings.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Punctual" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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