xiàwǔ: 下午 - Afternoon

• Keywords: xiàwǔ, 下午, afternoon in Chinese, Chinese word for afternoon, what does xiawu mean, pinyin for afternoon, how to say good afternoon in Chinese, shangwu vs xiawu, morning noon afternoon in Chinese, Chinese time words
• Summary: Learn how to say and use 下午 (xiàwǔ), the essential Chinese word for “afternoon.” This guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, and cultural significance, including the concept of the afternoon nap (午休, wǔxiū). Discover practical examples, common mistakes, and how to use it in daily conversation to schedule appointments or simply greet someone with 下午好 (xiàwǔ hǎo)!

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xiàwǔ
• Part of Speech: Noun (Time Word)
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: Afternoon; the period of the day from after noon until evening.
• In a Nutshell: 下午 (xiàwǔ) is the straightforward Chinese term for “afternoon.” It generally covers the time from about 1 PM to 5 or 6 PM. It's a fundamental vocabulary word used daily for scheduling, making plans, and greetings. Think of it as the block of time after lunch but before dinner.

• 下 (xià): This character's primary meanings are “down,” “below,” or “next.” You can visualize it as a line with another line pointing down from it. In the context of time, it signifies “after” or the “lower” half of the day.
• 午 (wǔ): This character means “noon” or “midday.” It's one of the twelve Earthly Branches used in the traditional Chinese calendar, specifically representing the period from 11 AM to 1 PM.

When combined, 下午 (xiàwǔ) literally translates to “after noon,” a perfectly logical and easy-to-remember construction for the word “afternoon.”

While “afternoon” seems like a universal concept, its cultural rhythm in China has a distinct feature: the 午休 (wǔxiū), or afternoon nap. In many Western cultures, the afternoon is often seen as a continuous block of work, sometimes marked by an “afternoon slump” fought with coffee. In China, however, there's a more established cultural acceptance of taking a short rest after lunch. It's common for students in schools to have a designated nap time, and many office workers will rest at their desks for 30-60 minutes. This practice is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles, which emphasize balance and listening to the body's natural rhythms. A short rest during the `wǔxiū` is believed to boost productivity for the rest of the 下午 (xiàwǔ) and improve overall health. So, when you think of 下午 (xiàwǔ) in a Chinese context, it's not just a time of day, but also a period that culturally incorporates a moment of rest and recharge.

下午 (xiàwǔ) is an extremely common and versatile word used in all contexts, from formal to casual.

• Greetings: The standard greeting for this time of day is 下午好 (xiàwǔ hǎo), meaning “Good afternoon.” It's polite and can be used with anyone.
• Scheduling and Making Plans: This is its most frequent use. In Chinese, time words like 下午 (xiàwǔ) are placed after the subject but before the verb.
  • e.g., 我 下午 有个会。(Wǒ xiàwǔ yǒu ge huì.) - I have a meeting in the afternoon.
• Specifying Time: It's used to clarify whether a time is AM or PM. While a 24-hour clock is common in writing, in speech, people often use time-of-day words.
  • e.g., 下午 三点 ( xiàwǔ sān diǎn) - 3 PM (literally “afternoon three o'clock”).

• Example 1:
  • 下午好，王经理！
  • Pinyin: Xiàwǔ hǎo, Wáng jīnglǐ!
  • English: Good afternoon, Manager Wang!
  • Analysis: A standard, polite greeting used in a professional setting. 下午好 (xiàwǔ hǎo) is the direct equivalent of “Good afternoon.”
• Example 2:
  • 我今天下午没有课。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān xiàwǔ méiyǒu kè.
  • English: I don't have class this afternoon.
  • Analysis: This shows the typical word order for time: Subject (我) + Broader Time (今天) + Specific Time (下午) + Verb Phrase (没有课).
• Example 3:
  • 我们下午两点半在咖啡馆见面吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn bàn zài kāfēiguǎn jiànmiàn ba.
  • English: Let's meet at the coffee shop at 2:30 PM.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of scheduling. 下午 clarifies that “2:30” is in the afternoon, not early morning. Note the use of 两 (liǎng) for “two” when telling time.
• Example 4:
  • 你星期五下午有空吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xīngqīwǔ xiàwǔ yǒu kòng ma?
  • English: Are you free on Friday afternoon?
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 下午 combines with other time words (like the day of the week) to specify a time frame for a question.
• Example 5:
  • 他习惯每天下午喝一杯茶。
  • Pinyin: Tā xíguàn měitiān xiàwǔ hē yī bēi chá.
  • English: He is used to drinking a cup of tea every afternoon.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes a routine or habit that takes place during the afternoon.
• Example 6:
  • 昨天下午天气特别好，我们去公园了。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān xiàwǔ tiānqì tèbié hǎo, wǒmen qù gōngyuán le.
  • English: The weather was especially good yesterday afternoon, so we went to the park.
  • Analysis: Here, 下午 is used to refer to a past event. The particle 了 (le) indicates the completed action of going to the park.
• Example 7:
  • 我整个下午都在图书馆学习。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhěnggè xiàwǔ dōu zài túshūguǎn xuéxí.
  • English: I was studying in the library the entire afternoon.
  • Analysis: The phrase 整个 (zhěnggè) means “the entire” or “the whole,” emphasizing that the action spanned the full duration of the afternoon.
• Example 8:
  • 这家店的下午茶很有名。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā diàn de xiàwǔchá hěn yǒumíng.
  • English: This shop's afternoon tea is very famous.
  • Analysis: 下午 can be part of a compound noun. 下午茶 (xiàwǔchá) is a direct loan-translation of “afternoon tea,” a popular activity in modern China.
• Example 9:
  • 上午我有点忙，但是下午应该有时间。
  • Pinyin: Shàngwǔ wǒ yǒudiǎn máng, dànshì xiàwǔ yīnggāi yǒu shíjiān.
  • English: I'm a bit busy in the morning, but I should have time in the afternoon.
  • Analysis: This sentence contrasts two different time periods, 上午 (shàngwǔ) and 下午 (xiàwǔ), which is a very common conversational structure.
• Example 10:
  • 重要的会议被安排在了明天下午。
  • Pinyin: Zhòngyào de huìyì bèi ānpái zài le míngtiān xiàwǔ.
  • English: The important meeting was scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the passive voice with 被 (bèi) and shows 下午 as part of the time phrase where the action will take place.

• 下午 (xiàwǔ) vs. 中午 (zhōngwǔ): This is the most common point of confusion.
  • 中午 (zhōngwǔ) is “midday” or “noon,” roughly 11 AM to 1 PM. It's the time you eat lunch (午饭, wǔfàn).
  • 下午 (xiàwǔ) begins *after* 中午, around 1 PM.
  • Common Mistake: Saying `下午十二点半 (xiàwǔ shí'èr diǎn bàn)`. This is incorrect. 12:30 PM is still considered 中午 (zhōngwǔ). The correct way would be `中午十二点半 (zhōngwǔ shí'èr diǎn bàn)`.
• The Afternoon-to-Evening Transition: The line between 下午 (xiàwǔ) and 晚上 (wǎnshang - evening/night) is flexible. 下午 usually ends around 5 PM or 6 PM, often coinciding with the end of the workday and sunset. If you're meeting someone at 6 PM, you might use either 下午 or 晚上 depending on the context and season. Generally, once the sun sets and people are eating dinner, it's 晚上.
• Incorrect Sentence Structure: English speakers often place time words at the end of a sentence. In Chinese, time words like 下午 must come before the verb.
  • Incorrect: 我去商店下午。(Wǒ qù shāngdiàn xiàwǔ.)
  • Correct: 我下午去商店。(Wǒ xiàwǔ qù shāngdiàn.)

• 早上 (zǎoshang) - Early morning (from sunrise to about 9 AM).
• 上午 (shàngwǔ) - Morning (from about 9 AM to noon). The time period immediately before 中午.
• 中午 (zhōngwǔ) - Noon, midday (approx. 11 AM - 1 PM). The time period immediately before 下午.
• 晚上 (wǎnshang) - Evening, night. The time period that follows 下午.
• 下午茶 (xiàwǔchá) - Afternoon tea. A compound word using 下午.
• 午休 (wǔxiū) - Afternoon nap/rest. A cultural practice closely associated with the time after lunch.
• 傍晚 (bàngwǎn) - Dusk, toward evening. The transitional period between 下午 and 晚上.
• 今天 (jīntiān) - Today. Often used with 下午 to specify “this afternoon.”
• 明天 (míngtiān) - Tomorrow. Used with 下午 to specify “tomorrow afternoon.”