一刻
yí kè
Quarter past (15 minutes)
一刻 (yí kè) is used when telling time to mean "a quarter past" or "15 minutes." It's a common and natural way to express 15-minute intervals, especially in spoken Chinese.
What does 一刻 (yí kè) mean?
一刻 (yí kè) means “quarter past (15 minutes)” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “one quarter.”
When to use it
Neutral and common for telling time. While 十五分钟 (shíwǔ fēnzhōng) also means "15 minutes," 一刻 (yí kè) is more idiomatic and frequently used when referring to "quarter past" an hour.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “ee-KUH.” The first character 一 (yī) changes to a rising tone (yí) when followed by a fourth tone, so it's pronounced “yí kè.”
Other ways to say it
- 十五分钟shíwǔ fēnzhōngfifteen minutes
- 半bànhalf (30 minutes)
- 三刻sān kèthree quarters (45 minutes)
Examples
现在是三点一刻。
xiànzài shì sān diǎn yí kè.
It's a quarter past three now.
会议在九点一刻开始。
huìyì zài jiǔ diǎn yí kè kāishǐ.
The meeting starts at a quarter past nine.
我每天早上七点一刻吃早餐。
wǒ měitiān zǎoshang qī diǎn yí kè chī zǎocān.
I eat breakfast at a quarter past seven every morning.
Pro tip: Remember the tone change for 一 (yī) when it precedes a fourth tone. It becomes yí, as in yí kè, not yī kè.
Related phrases
亿 · 100 million (yì)百分之十 · 10 percent二〇二六年 · 2026 (reading years)
Want to speak Chinese for real?
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →