中午

• Pinyin: zhōng wǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 中 = middle; 午 = originally a pestle, later assigned to mean 'noon' in the Earthly Branches system

Meaning

Noon; midday. The middle of the day, around 12 o'clock.

Refers to the period around 12:00, typically from about 11:00 to 13:00. Used as a time word that can be placed before or after the subject: 中午我吃面条 or 我中午吃面条. Commonly associated with lunch: 中午饭 or 午饭 (lunch).

Examples

1. 我们中午一起吃饭吧。 Let's eat together at noon.
2. 中午十二点上课。 Class starts at 12 o'clock noon.
3. 他中午不休息。 He doesn't rest at noon.

Usage Guide

Context: time, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 中午你想吃什么？(What do you want to eat at noon?)
• 我中午十二点半下课。(My class ends at 12:30 at noon.)

Don't Say

• 在中午的时候中。(Redundant — say 中午的时候 or just 中午)

Origin & History

Compound of 中 (middle) + 午 (noon, the seventh of the twelve Earthly Branches, corresponding to 11am-1pm in the traditional time system).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal