noun phrase HSK 2
Traditional 一小時
one hour · an hour
Meaning
一小时 is a time expression meaning 'one hour'. It combines the number 一 (one) with 小时 (hour), which literally breaks down as 'small time'. This is the standard way to express a duration of one hour in modern Mandarin Chinese.
Usage
Native speakers use 一小时 to indicate a duration or length of time. It commonly appears with verbs to show how long an action takes, such as 等了一小时 (waited for an hour) or 开车一小时 (drive for one hour). In casual speech, 一 is sometimes pronounced with a neutral tone.
Examples
- 01从这儿到机场开车要一小时。.It takes one hour to drive from here to the airport.
- 02我每天运动一小时。.I exercise for one hour every day.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个小时
Common collocations
- 一个小时one hour (with measure word)
- 等一小时wait for an hour
- 用一小时take an hour
- 一小时以内within an hour
Origin
小时 (hour) literally means 'small time', contrasting with larger time units. The term became standard in modern Chinese to match the Western concept of the 60-minute hour.