How do you use "hour" in a sentence?

The journey takes about two hours. We've been waiting for hours. The shop opens on the hour.

hour

Q: What does "hour" mean?

A period of sixty minutes An hour is a unit of time equal to sixty minutes or one twenty-fourth of a day. It can also refer to a particular time ('the lunch hour') or a point in time ('the hour has come'). Common expressions include 'by the hour' (paid per hour), 'on the hour' (at exactly o'clock), and 'after hours' (after business closes).

Vocabulary Word BritishAmerican ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Meaning: A period of sixty minutes

小时，钟头

hora

時間、1時間

시간, 1시간

An hour is a unit of time equal to sixty minutes or one twenty-fourth of a day. It can also refer to a particular time ('the lunch hour') or a point in time ('the hour has come'). Common expressions include 'by the hour' (paid per hour), 'on the hour' (at exactly o'clock), and 'after hours' (after business closes).

「hour」是一个时间单位，等于六十分钟或一天的二十四分之一。它也可以指特定的时间（「the lunch hour」）或时刻（「the hour has come」）。常见表达包括「by the hour」（按小时计费）、「on the hour」（整点）和「after hours」（下班后）。

«Hour» es una unidad de tiempo igual a sesenta minutos o una veinticuatroava parte del día. También puede referirse a un momento particular («la hora del almuerzo») o un punto en el tiempo («ha llegado la hora»). Las expresiones comunes incluyen «by the hour» (por hora), «on the hour» (a la hora en punto) y «after hours» (después del horario de trabajo).

「hour」は60分または1日の24分の1に相当する時間の単位です。また、特定の時間（「the lunch hour」）や時点（「the hour has come」）を指すこともあります。一般的な表現には「by the hour」（時給で）、「on the hour」（正時に）、「after hours」（営業時間後）があります。

Hour는 60분 또는 하루의 24분의 1에 해당하는 시간 단위입니다. 특정 시간대('the lunch hour')나 어떤 시점('the hour has come')을 가리키기도 합니다. 일반적인 표현으로는 'by the hour'(시간당 지급), 'on the hour'(정각에), 'after hours'(영업 종료 후) 등이 있습니다.

Examples

The journey takes about two hours.
这段旅程大约需要两个小时。
El viaje dura unas dos horas.
その旅は約2時間かかります。
그 여정은 약 2시간 걸립니다.
We've been waiting for hours.
我们已经等了好几个小时了。
Hemos estado esperando durante horas.
私たちは何時間も待っています。
우리는 몇 시간이나 기다리고 있습니다.
The shop opens on the hour.
这家店整点开门。
La tienda abre a la hora en punto.
その店は正時に開店します。
그 가게는 정시에 문을 엽니다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: general

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old French 'ore', from Latin 'hora' meaning 'season, time of day', from Greek 'hōra' (season, hour). The silent 'h' was added in the 13th century to match the Latin spelling, but was never pronounced in English — which is why we say 'an hour' not 'a hour'.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Story & Trivia

The word 'hour' comes from Greek 'hora' meaning 'season' or 'time of day.' The 24-hour day was developed by ancient Egyptians, who divided daylight and darkness each into twelve parts, though the length of these hours varied with the seasons.