闹钟

• Pinyin: nào zhōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 闹 = 门 (gate) + 市 (market, noise); 钟 = 钅(metal) + 中 (middle, phonetic) — a metal bell or clock

Meaning

Alarm clock. A clock that can be set to ring or sound at a specific time to wake someone up.

Refers to any clock — physical or digital — that has an alarm function. Nowadays also commonly refers to the alarm feature on a mobile phone (手机闹钟). Setting an alarm is 设闹钟 or 定闹钟, and when it goes off, it 响了 (rang).

Examples

1. 我每天早上六点设一个闹钟。 I set an alarm clock for six o'clock every morning.
2. 闹钟响了好几次，他还是没起来。 The alarm went off several times, but he still didn't get up.
3. 我忘了设闹钟，今天差点迟到了。 I forgot to set my alarm, and almost arrived late today.

Usage Guide

Context: daily routine, mornings, time management

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你帮我定一个七点的闹钟。(Help me set a seven o'clock alarm.)
• 闹钟一响我就起来了。(I got up as soon as the alarm went off.)

Don't Say

• 把手机提醒说成'闹钟' (Don't confuse 闹钟 with general phone reminders — 闹钟 specifically means a wake-up alarm, not a calendar notification)

Origin & History

A compound of 闹 (noisy/commotion) and 钟 (clock) — a clock that creates a commotion to wake you up.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal