上午
shàngwǔ
A.m. or before noon
上午 (shàngwǔ) refers to the time from morning until noon, essentially meaning “a.m.” or “before noon.” It is commonly used when specifying a time or period in the first half of the day.
What does 上午 (shàngwǔ) mean?
上午 (shàngwǔ) means “a.m. or before noon” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “above noon.”
When to use it
Neutral. It is a standard way to refer to the morning or a.m. hours. For early morning, 早上 (zǎoshang) is more common. For noon itself, use 中午 (zhōngwǔ).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “SHAHNG-woo.” The first syllable has a falling tone, and the second has a rising tone.
Other ways to say it
- 早上zǎoshangearly morning
- 中午zhōngwǔnoon
- 下午xiàwǔafternoon
Examples
我上午十点有个会议。
wǒ shàngwǔ shí diǎn yǒu ge huìyì.
I have a meeting at 10 a.m.
你上午想做什么？
nǐ shàngwǔ xiǎng zuò shénme?
What do you want to do this morning?
我们通常上午去公园散步。
wǒmen tōngcháng shàngwǔ qù gōngyuán sànbù.
We usually go for a walk in the park in the morning.
Pro tip: 上午 covers the entire period from sunrise to noon, while 早上 specifically refers to the earlier part of the morning, typically before 9 or 10 a.m.
Related phrases
加减乘除 · Plus, minus, times, divided早上 · Morning中午 · Noon
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