下午

• 拼音: xià wǔ
• 汉字拆解: 下 = lower/later; 午 = noon (originally a pictograph of a pestle, later borrowed for the noon hour)

含义

Afternoon. The period of time from noon until evening.

A basic time word used in everyday conversation and scheduling. Placed before the clock time in Chinese: 下午两点 (2 PM). The period roughly covers from noon to around 6 PM. Pairs with 上午 (morning) and 晚上 (evening).

例句

1. 下午我要去商店买东西。
2. 今天下午三点有课。
3. 他下午在家休息。

用法指南

语境: time, everyday

语气: neutral

正确说法

• 下午两点见。(See you at 2 PM.)
• 你下午有空吗？(Are you free this afternoon?)

错误说法

• 在两点下午。(Wrong word order — say 下午两点; the time period comes before the clock time in Chinese)

起源与历史

A compound of 下 (lower/later) and 午 (noon/midday). Literally means 'after noon,' referring to the second half of the day.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal